Reference:
https://www.refworld.org/policy/strategy/unhcr/2024/en/148761
Online Marketplace Project Snapshot
Building Stateless Leadership and Representation in the Netherlands and Beyond
Europe
Building Stateless Leadership and Representation in the Netherlands and Beyond
ASKV
35,000 USD
6-12 months
Multi-stakeholder Pledge: Ending Statelessness
SDG 10, Target 10.c, SDG 16, Targets 16.9 and 16.b
- Action 2: Ensure that no child is born stateless
- Action 6: In migratory context, determine statelessness, and protect and facilitate naturalization of stateless persons
- Action 9: Accede to the un statelessness conventions
- Action 11: Ensure stateless persons can enjoy their rights
Although the Netherlands upholds the right to a nationality on paper, in practice stateless individuals face legal limbo, bureaucratic barriers, and misinformation. Recognition as stateless under the 2023 Statelessness Determination Procedure offers no right to stay, work, or study - it remains a label without rights. Many stateless people are trapped for years in asylum centres under restrictive supervision and the constant threat of detention or family separation. The broader political climate in Europe is increasingly hostile towards migrants and people without nationality. Public debate is shaped by fear and misinformation, while the lived realities of stateless people remain invisible, weakening political will and accountability.
This project addresses these challenges by strengthening stateless people’s leadership, visibility, and advocacy capacity through investment in the Stateless Rights Collective (SRC) - a grassroots initiative led by stateless people in the Netherlands. By supporting SRC’s further growth and representation, stateless-led perspectives can be meaningfully included not just in national advocacy work, but also in regional and international networks. The project aims to strengthen the protection and inclusion of stateless people by investing in stateless-led leadership and collaboration between stateless people, NGOs, and policymakers, creating the structure, skills, and connections needed for SRC to grow into a sustainable and independent organisation.
ASKV will support SRC’s organizational development and connect their experiences directly to Dutch legal and policy processes, with national insights feeding into regional and global platforms. SRC members will take part in trainings, mentoring, and paid traineeships to coordinate activities, build advocacy campaigns, and engage directly with policymakers and networks such as the European Network on Statelessness and the Global Alliance to End Statelessness. Through a paid traineeship, an SRC member will gain experience in organisation, communication, advocacy, and network building, strengthening SRC’s internal capacity. By the end of the project, SRC will be better positioned to represent stateless voices nationally and internationally, contributing to a stronger, more connected movement to end statelessness.
12 core members of the Stateless Rights Collective (SRC) - all stateless individuals living in the Netherlands - who will receive tailored training, mentorship, and paid traineeships to enhance their leadership and advocacy skills.
The wider stateless community in the Netherlands (estimated at around 30,000 people) will benefit indirectly from stronger advocacy, greater visibility, and improved access to information and support networks. Legal practitioners, NGOs, and policymakers who engage with nationality, asylum, and residence procedures. By improving collaboration and knowledge exchange, the project aims to strengthen the overall ecosystem for statelessness response in the Netherlands. By strengthening SRC’s participation in global networks like the European Network on Statelessness (ENS) and Global Alliance to End Statelessness, the project contributes to a more inclusive European advocacy field.
100,000 USD
35,000 USD
Why this project needs your support
Members of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness are driving innovative projects around the world, and we invite you to be part of this vital work. This snapshot gives you a brief look at one such initiative that needs your support. By contributing to projects like this, you can help create lasting change, uplift communities, and restore dignity to millions of people. Your involvement is crucial – together, we can turn the tide and build a future where statelessness is a thing of the past.
How to support
To support this initiative, please contact the Global Alliance Secretariat at stalliance@unhcr.org.
Together, we can turn the tide against statelessness and create a world where everyone enjoys their right to a nationality, and can fully contribute to society.
Disclaimer: The listing of snapshots on the Online Marketplace or inclusion in the offline repository, and their pitching to potential donors by the Global Alliance Secretariat, does not represent an endorsement by the Global Alliance, its members, or UNHCR as the Secretariat of the Global Alliance. All due diligence, background checks, and financial or legal accountability considerations are the sole responsibility of the donors concerned and should be conducted in accordance with their own regulations and requirements. The Global Alliance and its Secretariat do not endorse, participate in, or bear any legal or financial responsibility for the funding agreements or their implementation. For clarifications and additional information, please contact the Global Alliance Secretariat at stalliance@unhcr.org