FAQ

The Global Alliance to End Statelessness is a collaborative multistakeholder platform led by UNHCR. Its vision is to create “a world free from statelessness where everyone enjoys the right to a nationality without discrimination.” The initiative is part of the UN Secretary General’s ‘Our Common Agenda’ and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Global Alliance aims to achieve several concrete results, including:

• Accelerating the implementation of existing and new pledges by States to significantly reduce and prevent statelessness worldwide.
• Establishing strong and interconnected regional networks at both intergovernmental and civil society levels to support region-specific solutions.
• Encouraging shared ownership of statelessness as a cross-mandate issue among relevant UN Agencies.
• Elevating statelessness as a critical, yet solvable, matter on global human rights, humanitarian, and development agendas.
• Encouraging deeper financial investment in collaborative efforts to address statelessness.
• Strengthening engagement with stateless-led organizations as agents of change.
• Promoting awareness and understanding of statelessness among a wider range of stakeholders.

Becoming a member of the Global Alliance offers numerous dividends, including:

• Enhancing the ability of States and Intergovernmental Regional Organizations to Accelerate pledge implementation.
• Empowering stateless-led organizations as active agents of change.
• Facilitating connections among key stakeholders to exchange cutting-edge knowledge and evolving best practices.
• Identifying and accessing new funding channels to support multistakeholder projects that expedite pledge implementation.
• Supporting the establishment of national and regional coalitions dedicated to pledge implementation and progress on statelessness.
• Showcasing concrete advancements made by States and Intergovernmental Regional Organizations in preventing and resolving statelessness and protecting the rights of stateless persons.
• Reinforcing the human rights, humanitarian, and development credentials of Members through association with an inclusive, progressive, and impact-driven initiative.

The Global Alliance is being developed by UNHCR, which has a mandate from the UN General Assembly to address statelessness. UNHCR leads the development process with the assistance of a multistakeholder taskforce. Additionally, UNHCR has sought input from Governments, civil society groups, and other UN agencies to shape the foundational elements of the Global Alliance, such as its vision and mission, organizational structure, membership criteria, and core functions.

The Global Alliance is scheduled to be launched on 14 October 2024 at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in Geneva. Stakeholders can formally join the Global Alliance as Members now by using the sign-up form or submitting a letter to the Secretariat at [email protected]. Activities of the Global Alliance will commence in a phased manner, starting with the Solutions Seeker Programme, which was introduced at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) 2023.

Membership in the Global Alliance is open to a broad range of relevant stakeholders, including Governments, Regional Organizations, stateless-led organizations, UN Agencies, parliamentary organizations, civil society groups and networks, faith-based organizations, and others. Prospective members need to complete a straightforward membership application form, endorsing the vision and mission of the Global Alliance. Alternatively, prospective members can submit a letter to the Secretariat at [email protected]. Members can deepen their engagement by participating in various activities and applying to join the Global Alliance Advisory Committee, which will be operational by mid-2024.

The Global Alliance recognises the crucial importance of involving those affected by statelessness. Stateless-led organizations are eligible for membership in the Global Alliance, and a set number of positions on the Global Alliance Advisory Board will be reserved specifically for representatives from these organizations. The participation of stateless-led organizations in the various activities of the Global Alliance will be strongly supported.

No, membership of the Global Alliance is completely free of charge.

The Global Alliance is set to launch on 14 October 2024 at the High-Level Segment on Statelessness in Geneva, which will both mark the completion of the IBelong Campaign and launch the Global Alliance. While building upon the successes, momentum, and lessons learned from the IBelong Campaign, the Global Alliance operates with a distinct approach. Its modus operandi centres around fostering greater collaboration and expedited action among relevant actors, including States, stateless individuals, UN agencies, and civil society. The goal is to accelerate the implementation of solutions to statelessness.