A stateless person, as defined by the 1954 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, is a person who is not considered a national of any state. This means that they do not hold formal citizenship of any state. 

Citizenship is a legal status that acts as a tie between the individual and the state, representing a form of membership within a state by granting the individual with certain rights and protections, such as access to education, employment, healthcare, voting, and the ability to travel freely. 

In addition to this, citizenship infers on the individual certain responsibilities—for example, paying taxes. Citizenship is a pillar of modern society, without which individuals are deprived of the legal acknowledgement that they are a member of their state. 

In contrast to this, nationality is a more inclusive term that encompasses all aspects of belonging to a certain state. While nationality can refer to a person’s legal status, it may also represent their own cultural identity. In the context of international law however, ‘citizenship’ and nationality are often used interchangeably to represent this legal tie between individual and state. 

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that there are approximately 4.4 million stateless people worldwide. This number represents a population who has been stripped of one of their fundamental human rights: the right to a nationality. While shockingly large, 4.4 million is believed to be a vast underestimation, due to lack of documentation and inadequate monitoring systems from both national governments and the international community. 

Without being recognised as a citizen of any country, no government will take on the legal obligation to protect these individuals’ human rights. Lacking this legal status, stateless people may find it impossible to gain access to essential aspects of life, such as housing, education, healthcare, or employment. Deprived of these basic rights, stateless people are left in an extremely vulnerable position. They are left without the same protections as legally recognised citizens, and can also find themselves more susceptible to abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. 

The psychological toll that statelessness has on a person is clear. It is a life plagued with fear and isolation, excluded from society and marked by marginalisation. With limited legal rights in their country of residence (or in any country at all), they not only face fears of deportation, but also the inability to leave freely. 

In this series of articles, I will examine the problem of statelessness in its entirety by exploring the causes, impacts, and real world implications. Most importantly, I will consider the global efforts to eradicate statelessness and how these attempts can be more effective. 

The aim of my articles is to raise awareness of this global humanitarian crisis and highlight the reforms needed to create a pathway to citizenship for all. 

Holly Duncan is the Citizenship Law Editor at Wandering Educators. She is currently completing her Master's degree in Human Rights and Diplomacy at the University of Stirling.