Global Alliance Launched at High-Level Segment on Statelessness 

The Global Alliance to End Statelessness was formally launched on Monday, 14 October to enthusiasm and applause of close to 1,000 attendees during the first hours of UNHCR’s Executive Committee meetings in Geneva, Switzerland.

“It is my great honour to officially launch the Global Alliance to End Statelessness. This is an effort to bring together a broader coalition of governments, civil society, international organizations, academia and those that have been affected by statelessness,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi proclaimed.

  “It will be a place to exchange best practices, to try to identify and develop solutions and to advocate collectively for this cause.” 

 Grandi’s historic announcement came during the High-Level Segment on Statelessness (HLS), an event to report on achievements to end statelessness over the last several years – including the decade-long #IBelong campaign – as well as hear from formerly stateless people about their lived experience and set the stage for the next phase of collaboration. The event was attended by over 100 governmental delegations from around the world and more than 50 intergovernmental organizations, civil-society and stateless-led groups. 

 A standing-room-only crowd witnessed Grandi’s announcement, as well as his emphatic message that the world must do more to consign statelessness to history. 

 “Over the last decade, we have made real progress around the world through the UNHCR #IBelong campaign, helping find solutions for communities and individuals that had been marginalized for generations,” said Grandi. “But the work is not over. We must ensure that everyone – everywhere – has a nationality, is able to enjoy their rights and participate as full members of society, without discrimination.” 

 The initial day of Executive Committee meetings also featured statements of support for ending statelessness and pledges to join the Global Alliance from multiple States. During the meeting’s general debate, over 30 countries announced their intention to join as members or support for the Global Alliance’s work. 

 This week was critical for setting the course for upcoming collaborative efforts. Following the HLS, there were multiple side events and meetings to convene Global Alliance members and other stakeholders to discuss and debate ongoing and future activities.  

 This included the first-ever Regional Network Lab (RNL), organized by UNHCR as the Global Alliance’s Secretariat and the European Network on Statelessness. The RNL approach prioritizes workshops and other co-creation to encourage and amplify development, sharing and translation and knowledge into law and policy reform, leading to protection of stateless people and granting of nationality. 

 In his HLS speech, Grandi issued a strong call to action to all participants. 

 “This new, diverse Global Alliance of dedicated partners will now take the cause further,” he said. “The vision is simple: a world where no-one is deprived of their fundamental human right to a nationality. Let’s be ambitious – ending statelessness is within reach.”