Posted Apr 08, 2020

A nationality for every child

How Europe can ensure all children, including children in migration, access their right to a nationality

New publication by the European Network on Statelessness - No Child Should be Stateless: Ensuring the right to a nationality for children in Migration in Europe

A must-read for anyone who would like to know more about statelessness and how it affects children in migration, the paper outlines concrete actions which States and the European institutions can make: “Statelessness is a solvable problem. There are key actions that States and regional institutions can take to address childhood statelessness and ensure that all children in Europe realise their right to a nationality, regardless of their migration status or that of their parents.”

All States have the obligation to ensure every child’s right to a nationality is upheld, yet current legislation and practice in half of Europe’s countries means that children in migration risk growing up stateless.

Having a nationality – which is a right in itself – is also often essential to be able to access other rights. Without a nationality or identity documents, a child may be denied access to healthcare, school, birth registration, social welfare and housing. Statelessness can put children at greater risk of abuse and make it harder to protect them from exploitation.

The publication explores which children in migration are at risk of statelessness in Europe and why, including children who cannot inherit a nationality from their parents and some children who are unaccompanied. It outlines the current challenges and gaps in realising every child’s right to a nationality and offers key recommendations for what needs to be done at national and regional level so that children in migration can have a nationality.

It was developed by ENS as part of the Initiative for Children in Migration in partnership with Child Circle and PICUM and is endorsed by Destination Unknown.

Picture: children in Albania ©Tdh/Grace Medina

Statelessness is a solvable problem. There are key actions that States and regional institutions can take to address childhood statelessness and ensure that all children in Europe realise their right to a nationality, regardless of their migration status

Stay informed