Journeying Together

In recent years, activists and NGOs have worked to address statelessness and its consequences worldwide. We have made significant progress in protecting the rights of those denied nationality. content

Understanding Statelessness

A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law.

Statelessness strips people of their legal identity, leaving them invisible in the eyes of the state — unable to access basic rights most take for granted.

Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to a nationality and that no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality. Yet, there are more than 15 million people across the globe who face a life without a nationality and every ten minutes, another child is born stateless.

Impacts of Statelessness

Nationality is the gateway through which people access rights and services in our state-centric world.

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Impacts of Statelessness

Nationality is the gateway through which people access rights and services in our state-centric world.

Yet, there are more than 15 million people across the globe who face a life without a nationality and every ten minutes, another child is born stateless.

Highlight Section

Aug 12, 2026

Monthly Bulletin

ISI Flagships the world’s stateless reports exploring issues of citizenship deprovation

The 3rd edition of our flagship report, The World’s Stateless 2020, explores the issue of citizenship deprivation. The report also includes the Principles on Deprivation of Nationality as a National Security Measure.

Download Report

Sep 04, 2026

Annual Report

The World's Stateless 2020: Deprivation of Nationality

Download Report

Aug 12, 2026

Annual Report
Briefing Paper

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A stateless person is someone who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law. Statelessness strips people of their legal identity, leaving them invisible in the eyes of the state — unable to access basic rights most take for granted.

How Does a Person Become Stateless?

Statelessness is often caused or perpetuated by discrimination based on:

Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Disability
Socio-economic status

In 25 countries, including Lebanon, Nepal and the Bahamas, women cannot pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis as men. This can leave children without a nationality.

Statelessness is often caused or perpetuated by discrimination based on:

Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Disability
Socio-economic status

In 25 countries, including Lebanon, Nepal and the Bahamas, women cannot pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis as men. This can leave children without a nationality.

Statelessness is often caused or perpetuated by discrimination based on:

Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Disability
Socio-economic status

In 25 countries, including Lebanon, Nepal and the Bahamas, women cannot pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis as men. This can leave children without a nationality.

Statelessness is often caused or perpetuated by discrimination based on:

Race
Ethnicity
Gender
Disability
Socio-economic status

In 25 countries, including Lebanon, Nepal and the Bahamas, women cannot pass their nationality to their children on an equal basis as men. This can leave children without a nationality.

Section Title 3

Lived Experiences

Meepia granted citizenship after 34 years of being stateless.

“To be stateless is to live in a state of perpetual suspension. Amina could not legally work, open a bank account, rent an apartment in her own name, or buy a SIM card. When she walked down the street, the sight of a police uniform made her breath catch in her throat. A simple random ID check could mean indefinite detention in a facility designed for people with nowhere to go. She was a citizen of nowhere, living on the margins of everywhere.”

-Meepia, former stateless person from Thailand

Our Role as a catalyst

How does ISI help Stateless people?

Statelessness is a complex and evolving issue, shaped by laws, policies, migration, conflict, discrimination, and social exclusion. Across the world, researchers, advocates, communities, policymakers, and changemakers are working to understand these challenges and create pathways towards inclusion and belonging.

Explore our journey