EVALUATION OF UNHCR-LED INITIATIVES TO END STATELESSNESS – FINAL REPORT – VOLUME I mindset have negatively affected UNHCR’s ability to meet the campaign’s objectives for ending statelessness in some contexts where statelessness is a severe problem. UNHCR has been particularly successful in implementing initiatives to address the legal and administrative causes of statelessness, which align with its institutional strengths. There are other key drivers of statelessness, however, including political, social and economic aspects, which need to be more consciously and robustly addressed. Similarly, the broader socio-economic impacts of statelessness, such as exclusion from schools, legal employment and social welfare, and the suffering that they cause, need to be more holistically recognized and addressed. While UNHCR has played a critical and central role in highlighting and championing the situation of stateless persons, public advocacy has emerged as a gap, particularly at a global level. Furthermore, the organization has not responded to all of the drivers and impacts of statelessness, nor should it. Collaboration has been critical to the progress made so far on statelessness and UNHCR has successfully mobilized a wide range of stakeholders at different levels. Overall, however, there is not a strong enough sense of shared responsibility. UNHCR could do more to bring a diverse set of international, regional and national actors together to collectively mobilize for change, including harnessing the contributions of stateless persons directly. In particular, UNHCR should invest more in maximizing the potential for UN system-wide collaboration on statelessness. The foundations are in place for scaling-up UNHCR and partner action to reduce statelessness, but success will require a dedicated, creative and sustained approach to overcoming the remaining challenges. The organization needs to find a way to work across divisions to elevate its work on statelessness and capacitate staff at all levels to contribute. Similarly, it will need to leverage the mandates and capacities of partners to create a stronger coalition – sharing the responsibility for preventing and ending statelessness. This comes at a time when funding and staffing are constrained, and difficult choices are already being made about how to prioritize limited resources in response to growing needs. Continued investments will be needed, however, as well as a careful look at existing commitments to maximize their potential for positive change. The reputational risk for UNHCR of not delivering against its commitments and mandate on statelessness are high. The remaining years of the Campaign are an opportunity UNHCR and its partners cannot afford to miss – both in terms of holding stakeholders to account for the commitments already made and generating new momentum for a collective effort to prevent and end statelessness beyond 2024. Recommendations As noted throughout this evaluation, UNHCR cannot act alone to end statelessness. It can however devote renewed energy, linked to a whole of society approach, to engage and mobilize stateless people and actors from all sectors of society, at global, regional, national levels. Recommended actions 1 Strengthen UNHCR’s integrated global cross-divisional leadership of the campaign in its remaining years and improve prioritization of activities to address statelessness at all levels of the organization, including clear direction from the High Commissioner to Regional Directors to give higher priority to statelessness. SET 2 Invest in building the statelessness-related knowledge and skills of UNHCR staff and affiliates, including upskilling of Country Representatives’ knowledge about, and comfort in engaging on, aspects of statelessness, and ensure surge capacity mechanisms are available to fill temporary gaps. Global Learning and Development Centre Enhance organizational capacity and tools for public advocacy on statelessness, including dedicated communications staff at headquarters, Regional Bureau, and in priority countries. Prioritize public advocacy and building public awareness in operational contexts where it can influence changes in policy and practice. DER 3 viii Responsible with support of DIP, and RB protection pillars with DIP / Statelessness Section and RB External Relations units UNHCR / May, 2021