Being a stateless person means “not being recognized as a national by any state under the operation of its law.” As a result, stateless people are often excluded from society as their access to education, health services, job opportunities, financial means, legal ownership or even marriage is limited.
Today, millions of people around the world are denied a nationality. As a result, they often are not allowed to go to school, see a doctor, get a job, open a bank account, buy a house, or even get married.
Stateless people may have difficulty accessing basic rights such as education, healthcare, employment, and freedom of movement. Without these things, they can face a lifetime of obstacles and disappointment.
At UNHCR, we are determined to end statelessness by 2024. Please take a minute to sign our open letter and become part of the #IBelong Campaign to support ending statelessness around the world.
On 8 October 2019, Iran took a step towards addressing gender discrimination in its nationality laws reducing statelessness in the country and around the globe. Leading by example, the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran approved a bill amending the nationality law that allows Iranian mothers married to non-Iranian men to pass their nationality to their children.
Following the 2019 nationality law amendment, Iranian women married to non-Iranian men may request Iranian citizenship for their children under age 18. A child who has already turned 18 can submit the request for Iranian citizenship directly.
According to recent reports, by March 2023, around 110,000 individuals had applied for naturalization based on the 2019 nationality law amendment, and 15,800 cases successfully obtained nationality. Although Iran is not a party to the UN Conventions on Statelessness[1], the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran is taking concrete steps towards the prevention and reduction of statelessness in the country.
This law is contributing to improving the lives of thousands of children and is marking a major step towards reducing statelessness in Iran.
[1] 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons & 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons
The 1954 Convention provides the definition of a “stateless person” and the foundation of the international legal framework to address statelessness.
1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness
The 1961 Convention is the leading international instrument that sets rules for the conferral and non-withdrawal of citizenship to prevent statelessness.