Ending statelessness in Kyrgyzstan

Ilonna rememberes: “I was born in the Amur region of the USSR. Then my mother and I moved to Kyrgyzstan. The Soviet Union collapsed a few years later and new states emerged. When I was 17, I wanted to apply for a passport but my mother had lost her documents.” For her and many other stateless persons, pursuing one’s dreams without identity documents becomes very difficult.

Since independence, the Kyrgyz Republic, in cooperation with UNHCR, has taken consistent steps to reduce and prevent statelessness. In 2019 it became the first country in the world resolving all known cases of statelessness. The achievement of the Kyrgyz Republic has gained international recognition and is now serving as an example for other States.

Ilonna concludes: “I always dreamed of teaching children to play the piano. Now I will follow my dream.”

Source: UNHCR Central Asia