FOREWORD FOREWORD Europe is home to over an estimated 500,000 stateless people, or people who are at risk of remaining without nationality – largely a legacy of the dissolution of the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia, more than two decades ago. Entire populations became stateless practically overnight, due to political or legal directives, or the redefinition of state boundaries. Others became stateless due to administrative obstacles, falling through the cracks of a system that ignores or has forgotten them. Many in South Eastern Europe are Roma. Although there is no reliable data on the size of the Roma population affected by statelessness, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that up to 5,000 people residing in this region are stateless, or are at risk of statelessness. “EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO A NATIONALITY.” This is the text of the Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Next year, we will celebrate the 70th anniversary of this milestone document in the history of human rights. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Declaration as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations - fundamental human rights are universally protected. 2 Yet, today, millions of people across the world are still denied their basic human right to a nationality. They are called stateless. They are denied a nationality, through no fault of their own. And with it, they are denied their basic rights that most of us take for granted. Statelessness can mean a life without education, without medical care, or legal employment. It can mean a life without the ability to move freely, without prospects, or hope. • ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE In 2014, at the 60th anniversary of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, launched the #IBelong Campaign with the objective to work with the governments, civil society and other relevant actors towards eradication of statelessness within ten years, by 2024. It is an ambitious goal. But, at the same time, unlike so many other problems facing governments today, statelessness is relatively easy to solve; for example, by putting the necessary safeguards in place to prevent future cases of statelessness. We have witnessed that when States show the political will to act, they can make significant strides in resolving statelessness. This is also the case in South Eastern Europe, where authorities have shown strong dedication to address the inhumane phenomenon of statelessness. As a result, considerable achievements have been made across the region since 2014, but also before, through adoption of necessary legal protection mechanisms, as well as by taking concrete measures toward inclusion of stateless people in national civil registration systems. In addition, the capacity of civil society organizations working in this sphere has been strengthened substantially, with various nongovernmental institutions now demonstrating significant expertise and determination in advocating for the rights and interests of people at risk of statelessness. Finally, relevant stakeholder communities have been directly and actively involved in the joint effort of identifying atrisk populations and individuals, with the ultimate goal to resolve the outstanding challenges of this group of the most vulnerable people in the Western Balkans. The aim of this publication, produced by the UNHCR Regional Representation for South Eastern Europe, is to document the important progress achieved since the start of the #IBELONG campaign in 2014 by the national actors in the region – authorities, civil society and the affected communities themselves – in helping thousands of people at risk of statelessness to come out of the cruel zone of being ‘legally invisible.’ At the same time, it shall remind us that there is still work to be done, by 2024, to resolve statelessness and prevent that thousands more are at risk of becoming stateless, and instead can continue with their lives in certainty and dignity. UNHCR stands ready to further work with all relevant partners to achieve this noble goal. Anne-Christine Eriksson Representative UNHCR Regional Representation for South Eastern Europe and Representation in Bosnia and Herzegovina ENDING STATELESSNESS IN SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE • 3