The right to a nationality is enshrined in article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Similarly, the general principles of equality and non-discrimination lie at the heart of international human rights law and guarantee the right of everyone, without any distinction, to equality in the enjoyment of all fundamental human rights, including the right to a nationality. Yet, it is estimated that at least 10 million people are stateless worldwide: they are not considered as nationals by any State under the operation of its law. Ultimately, discrimination, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, in nationality laws, policies and practices is one of the major cause of statelessness, disproprotionately impacting minorites as well as women, children, migrants, refugees, internally displaced persons and other maginalized groups.
Thus, the Human Rights Council in its resolution 53/16 on "The right to a nationality: equality in nationality rights in law and in practice" requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in coordination with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to organize, prior to the fifty-sixth session of the Human Rights Council, a half-day expert workshop, in an accessible format, to showcase best practices in the promotion of equal nationality rights in law and in practice; and to prepare a summary report on the above-mentioned workshop, including any recommendations stemming therefrom, and to submit it to the Human Rights Council at its fifty-seventh session.
Pursuant to decision 55/115, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 3 April 2024, the event was postponed, to be held before the fifty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council, with the summary report on the workshop to be submitted to the Human Rights Council at its sixtieth session.
Due to the ongoing liquidity crisis, the event will be held online.
