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UNHCR report exposes the discrimination pervading the life of stateless minorities worldwide

03 November 2017   |  Español   |  Français   |  عربي Sougrabay Ibrahim, an 84-year-old Karana, from Madagascar, poses for a portrait with her grandchildren while attending a UNHCR stateless workshop.   © UNHCR/Roger Arnold

A new UNHCR report warns that discrimination, exclusion and persecution are stark realities for many of the world’s stateless minorities, and calls for immediate action to secure equal nationality rights for all.

More than 75% of the world’s known stateless populations belong to minority groups, the report notes. Left unaddressed, their protracted marginalization can build resentment, increase fear and, in the most extreme cases, lead to instability, insecurity and displacement.

“Stateless people are just seeking the same basic rights that all citizens enjoy. But stateless minorities, like the Rohingya, often suffer from entrenched discrimination and a systematic denial of their rights,” said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

The report “This is our home”: Stateless minorities and their search for citizenship is released on the third anniversary of UNHCR’s #IBelong Campaign to end statelessness. It is based on consultations conducted in May and June 2017 with members of stateless, formerly stateless or at risk minority groups in Madagascar, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Kenya, which were selected as examples to highlight the issues faced by stateless minorities worldwide.

The testimonies in the report show how discrimination negatively impacts stateless minorities’ communities and intensifies their anxiety for their physical safety and security. It also contributes to poverty and complicates their ability to access documentation, education and health care.

In order to ensure equal nationality rights for stateless minorities, UNHCR’s #IBelong Campaign urges all States to take the following steps:

Read the report


It is difficult to determine how many people are stateless or at risk of statelessness worldwide. Data on statelessness are captured by government and reported to UNHCR. In 2016, 75 countries reported 3.2 million stateless individuals. But UNHCR estimates that this is only a fraction of the total – the true number could even be three times higher.

About the #IBelong Campaign

On 4 November 2014, UNHCR launched its #IBelong Campaign to End Statelessness. Statelessness is a man-made problem and relatively easy to resolve and prevent. With the necessary political will and public support, millions of people around the world could acquire a nationality and prevent their children from being born stateless. The #IBelong Campaign is supported by a Global Action Plan, which sets out concrete steps for States to help resolve the problem. By acquiring a nationality, millions of stateless people around the world could gain full access to their human rights and enjoy a sense of belonging in their communities.

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