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Lives on Hold: The Human Cost of Statelessness

A Report by Refugees International

02/14/2005




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New Report By Refugees International Documents Plight Of “Stateless” People
Report Estimates that 11 Million Individuals Have No Citizenship or Effective Nationality

Lives on Hold: The Human Costs of Statelessness is Refugees International's new 50-page report that highlights the difficulties faced by an estimated 11 million individuals worldwide who have no citizenship or effective nationality. These stateless people are international orphans who have fallen through the cracks of the United Nations. They regularly cannot participate in the political process of any country and are guaranteed no legal protections. Because of their status, millions of stateless people have difficulty in obtaining jobs and owning property, receive inadequate access to healthcare and education, and suffer sexual and physical violence.

The report documents the human costs of the problem in more than 70 countries with particular emphasis on groups in Bangladesh, Estonia and the United Arab Emirates, and provides recommendations to the international community on what must be done by the UN, individual states and donor governments like the United States.


Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Nationality: A Fundamental Human Right

No Right to Reside: Conditions that Create Statelessness

No Country to Call Home: The Scope of Statelessness

Whose Job Is It Anyway? UNHCR’s Second Mandate

“Citizen, Third Class”: Findings from RI’s Statelessness Project

Bangladesh
Estonia
United Arab Emirates
Exploring Common Themes
Profiles of Stateless People

Global Review of Statelessness

Conclusion and Recommendations



Sources
Appendix A
Appendix B
Acknowledgments


Download a copy of this publication (1.5 MB)

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