Around the world, millions of children are denied their right to a nationality and are growing up stateless or at risk of statelessness. This has a severe knock-on effect on their enjoyment of other basic rights. In extreme cases, stateless children enjoy little to no protection under the law, resulting in a broad denial of rights and access to services. Stateless children, already deprived of nationality and standing to benefit most from education, instead bear the brunt of discriminatory laws, policies and practices which relegate them to the periphery of society. They are marginalised and cut off from education opportunities that can alter their trajectory, perpetuating further discrimination and social exclusion. In all cases, statelessness is detrimental to the best interests of the child.

The Awareness Month on Childhood Statelessness and Education took place in November 2023 as a month of action on stateless children’s right to education aiming to:

1. Empower children and youth to contribute to conversations about solutions to drive positive change.

2. Raise awareness about childhood statelessness and the denial of education.

Through a series of joined-up national and international events and activities – many directly involving children and youth – ISI and national partners across all regions  generated much-needed discourse and action on this issue.