http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless A stateless person is not recognized as a citizen by any state. This is important because citizenship is the essential foundation of a person’s legal identity. It is your right to have rights. Citizenship is necessary not only to vote, hold public office, and exit and enter a country freely, but also to obtain housing, health care, employment, and education. Citizenship is necessary in order to live a decent human life. Stateless people are denied that right. http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/ihrda This case is about statelessness and discrimination against non-Arab citizens in Mauritania. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:37:55 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/ihrda http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/focus_areas/engagement/grantees/constantine_2009 Greg Constantine will partner with UNHCR to create a traveling exhibition, permanent digital archive, multimedia video, and pdf photo essay that combine photographs documenting the consequences of statelessness and the denial of citizenship on Nubians in Kenya, with rare historical photographs and documents from their personal collections. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:18:17 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/focus_areas/engagement/grantees/constantine_2009 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/bueno This case is about statelessness in the Dominican Republic. It focuses on a Dominican man who was denied identity documents because he was of Haitian descent. Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:09:30 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/bueno http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/hp-denmark-20100910 HP was tortured for years in Iran before fleeing the country and coming to Denmark. Unable to pass the language exam required for Danish citizenship, he has been left essentially stateless. Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:01:32 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/hp-denmark-20100910 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/minors A summary of the Open Society Justice Initiative's complaint before the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:24:32 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/minors http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/events/constantine-nubians-exhibit-20100717/llo_event_related_1 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:26:58 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/events/constantine-nubians-exhibit-20100717/llo_event_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/sudan-nationality-20110218/llo_publication_related_1 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:24:16 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/sudan-nationality-20110218/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/hp-denmark-20100910/llo_initiative_case_1 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:01:32 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/hp-denmark-20100910/llo_initiative_case_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/right-to-dominican-nationality-20110406/llo_publication_related_1 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:35:31 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/right-to-dominican-nationality-20110406/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/what_you_can_do.html The world has a long way to go before the right to citizenship assured. There are several things we can do in order to help make this right a reality. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:04:13 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/what_you_can_do.html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects.html Statelessness affects 15 million people around the world, from the Kenyan Nubians in Africa to the Thailand Hill Tribes in Asia to Dominicans of Haitian-descent in the Caribbean. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:47:41 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects.html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/where_it_happens.html Statelessness occurs worldwide, including in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Burma, Cote D'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Europe, Estonia, Latvia, Kenya, Mauritania, Sri Lanka, Slovenia, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:58:23 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/where_it_happens.html http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/minors/llo_initiative_case_1 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:24:32 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/minors/llo_initiative_case_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-nationality-20110624/llo_publication_related_1 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:37:55 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-nationality-20110624/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-right-nationality-20110202/llo_publication_related_1 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:16:01 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-right-nationality-20110202/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20091009/llo_publication_related_1 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:34:52 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20091009/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/kenyan-nubians-20110412/llo_publication_related_1 Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:39:21 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/kenyan-nubians-20110412/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/prato-20110302/llo_publication_related_1 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:31:51 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/prato-20110302/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/without-citizenship-20110509/llo_publication_related_1 Mon, 09 May 2011 17:12:24 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/without-citizenship-20110509/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/dominicans-haitian-descent-20101028/llo_publication_related_1 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:43:14 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/dominicans-haitian-descent-20101028/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/struggles_20091009/llo_publication_related_1 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:57:21 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/struggles_20091009/llo_publication_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20091021/llo_news_related_1 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:57:19 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20091021/llo_news_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/kuric-slovenia-20100716/llo_news_related_1 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:12:29 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/kuric-slovenia-20100716/llo_news_related_1 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-dominican-republic-20100601/llo_news_related_1 Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:27:04 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-dominican-republic-20100601/llo_news_related_1 http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/what_it_means.html Citizenship is necessary in order to live a decent human life. Stateless people are denied that right. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:40:22 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/what_it_means.html http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/ali This case is about Nubians in Kenya, who are denied citizenship rights because of their ethnicity. Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:05:04 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/ali http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/kuric This case concerns citizenship rights and statelessness in Slovenia. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:16:50 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/kuric http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/people This case is about citizenship discrimination against minorities in Côte d'Ivoire. Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:46:57 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/litigation/people http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/stateless_20041006 James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, addressed a UNHCR Executive Committee panel in Geneva to mark the 50th Anniversary of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. Wed, 06 Oct 2004 18:11:13 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/stateless_20041006 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/africa_20050502 The Open Society Justice Initiative, together with partners in a number of African countries, is undertaking a survey of the state of the law. Mon, 02 May 2005 16:18:58 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/africa_20050502 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20051017 The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a landmark decision affirming the human right to nationality as the gateway to the equal enjoyment of all rights as civic members of a state, according to the Open Society Justice Initiative. Mon, 17 Oct 2005 10:30:06 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20051017 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20051101 The Open Society Justice Initiative today urged the international community to develop a comprehensive strategy to resolve statelessness. Tue, 01 Nov 2005 16:56:06 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20051101 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/mauritania_20051104 The Dodel Appeal marks an important new stage in the struggle to restore citizenship and obtain compensation for the thousands of Mauritanian refugees, reports the Open Society Justice Initiative. Fri, 04 Nov 2005 10:43:09 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/mauritania_20051104 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/dominicanrepublic_20070929 In a letter to the editor, Julia Harrington and Indira Goris, express dismay at the Dominican Republics continued denial of citizenship to Dominicans of Haitian descent. Sat, 29 Sep 2007 15:08:43 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/dominicanrepublic_20070929 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/slovenia_20071016 In a brief submitted to the European Court of Human Rights, the Open Society Justice Initiative argued that the Slovene government's erasure of thousands of its citizens violated the European Convention of Human Rights. Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:35:34 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/slovenia_20071016 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/nubians_20071219 The Open Society Justice Initiative is working to help the stateless of Kenya organize, campaign for access to citizenship, and fight for the right to a simple identity card. Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:21:57 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/nubians_20071219 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/stateless_20090401 Indira Goris, Julia Harrington, and Sebastian Köhn of the Open Society Justice Initiative explain why people without citizenship are some of the most vulnerable in the world, in this article from Forced Migration Review. Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:24:37 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/articles/stateless_20090401 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/struggles_20091009 Written by Bronwen Manby of the Open Society Institute, this book documents the dire consequences of pervasive citizenship discrimination across the continent. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:57:21 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/struggles_20091009 http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/rohingya.html Nearly a quarter of a million Rohingya have fled into neighboring Bangladesh in hopes of escaping their persecution in Burma. The government of Bangladesh declared the Rohingya illegal immigrants and placed them in refugee camps. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:00 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/rohingya.html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/index_html Globally 15 million people are denied citizenship. The Open Society Institute presents a few of their stories-and ways that you can help. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:35:32 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/index_html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/mauritanians.html In 1989, Mauritania's Arab-dominated government revoked the citizenship of an estimated 75,000 black Africans. Many have been stranded in refugee camps ever since. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:00 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/mauritanians.html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/dominicans.html For Dominicans of Haitian descent, obtaining proof of citizenship-required for everything from education to employment to voting-has become a legal and bureaucratic impossibility. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:00 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/dominicans.html http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/roma.html Without official identification documents or legal claims to their property, Roma families in the Balkans encounter enormous obstacles. Their problems have only been exacerbated by the decades of conflict that have plagued the region. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:42:00 EST http://www.soros.org/indepth/stateless/who_it_affects/roma.html http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20091021 The lack of citizenship rights generates conflict and undermines democracy in many countries in Africa, according to two new studies by the Open Society Institute. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:57:19 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/citizenship_20091021 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-dominican-republic-20100601 A case challenging the Dominican Republic's treatment of its citizens of Haitian ancestry was filed before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights by the Open Society Justice Initiative and the Center for Justice and International Law. Tue, 01 Jun 2010 09:27:04 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-dominican-republic-20100601 http://blog.soros.org/2010/06/kafka-in-the-dominican-republic/ The Dominican Republic harshly penalizes its citizens of Haitian descent because they do not have identity cards--documentation which the government (in violation of international law) refuses to issue to them. Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:17:09 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/06/kafka-in-the-dominican-republic/ http://blog.soros.org/2010/06/follow-friday-tweets-of-the-week-2/ The gulf oil spill, the politics of the World Cup, and more: a few highlights from our Twitter feeds. Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:15:07 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/06/follow-friday-tweets-of-the-week-2/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/kuric-slovenia-20100716 The European Court of Human Rights acknowledged the need to avoid making people stateless in its decision on Kuric and Others v. Slovenia. Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:12:29 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/kuric-slovenia-20100716 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/events/constantine-nubians-exhibit-20100717 This project by grantee Greg Constantine chronicles the history of the Nubian community in Nairobi, but also documents the consequences that the denial of citizenship has had on them and their struggle to gain recognition. Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:26:58 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/photography/events/constantine-nubians-exhibit-20100717 http://blog.soros.org/2010/07/the-struggle-against-statelessness-advances-in-strasbourg/ Eighteen years ago, as the country of Yugoslavia began to break apart, Mustafa Kuric became stateless. Last week, the European Court of Human Rights took a small step toward redressing the injustice that Kuric and thousands of other long-term residents of Slovenia suffered. Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:37:01 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/07/the-struggle-against-statelessness-advances-in-strasbourg/ http://blog.soros.org/2010/07/stateless-in-slovenia/ Milan Makuc became homeless after his name-along with those of more than 18,000 other Slovenians-were deleted by the government from its official registry of residents. Eighteen years later a human rights court rectified this decision, but it came too late for Makuc. Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:26:59 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/07/stateless-in-slovenia/ http://blog.soros.org/2010/08/stateless-but-not-right-less-the-debate-over-citizenship-in-estonia/ Is Estonia, with its conservative policies on citizenship and language, "paying back" ethnic Russians for what the USSR-especially under Stalin-did to the native population? Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:21:38 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/08/stateless-but-not-right-less-the-debate-over-citizenship-in-estonia/ http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/the-nubian-predicament/ According to a recent survey, more than 99 percent of Nubians in Kenya identify themselves as Kenyan. But the government thinks otherwise. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:24:49 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/the-nubian-predicament/ http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/tragedies-of-the-stateless/ "Are my documents in order?" I asked the official. This was my fifth attempt in ten years to obtain a Kenyan passport. Now I was before the Criminal Investigations Department for an in-person "vetting." As a Nubian, it was no surprise that I had been selected. Mon, 20 Sep 2010 09:52:38 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/09/tragedies-of-the-stateless/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/dominicans-haitian-descent-20101028 The Open Society Justice Initiative presented this report to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, highlighting systematic discrimination in the Dominican Republic. Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:43:14 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/dominicans-haitian-descent-20101028 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20091009 Statelessness and discriminatory citizenship practices underlie and exacerbate tensions and conflict in many parts of Africa, according to this report (now in its second edition) released by the Open Society Justice Initiative and the Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project. Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:34:52 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/citizenship_20091009 http://blog.soros.org/2010/11/back-to-the-roots-the-debate-over-citizenship-in-estonia/ Understanding the complex situation of stateless ethnic Russians in Estonia requires understanding the history of Estonia itself. Mon, 29 Nov 2010 11:53:46 EST http://blog.soros.org/2010/11/back-to-the-roots-the-debate-over-citizenship-in-estonia/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-right-nationality-20110202 This Open Society Justice Initiative document makes the case that the UN must clarify the obligation that governments bear for stateless children. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:16:01 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-right-nationality-20110202 http://blog.soros.org/2011/02/children-and-statelessness-a-q-a-with-sebastian-kohn/ Shortly before presenting to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, Sebastian Kohn of the Open Society Justice Initiative talked about the under-recognized problem of stateless children and the overwhelming importance of ensuring access to the very basic right of nationality. Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:07:35 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/02/children-and-statelessness-a-q-a-with-sebastian-kohn/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/sudan-nationality-20110218 Among the many critical choices that Sudan is facing in the context of the referendums on the status of South Sudan and Abyei are the criteria that will be established to determine citizenship of the new entities, argues Bronwen Manby of the Open Society Justice Initiative. Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:24:16 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/sudan-nationality-20110218 http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/out-in-the-cold-vetting-for-nationality-in-kenya/ In Kenya, secret government edicts ensure that millions face discrimination when they try to secure access to nationality and basic rights. But a new case before the High Court in Mombasa is chipping away at the practice. Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:18:52 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/out-in-the-cold-vetting-for-nationality-in-kenya/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/prato-20110302 Who are the stateless? This paper examines the definition of a stateless person and shows how it could be applied in the real world. Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:31:51 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/prato-20110302 http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/something-rotten-in-denmark/ It's rare that statelessness finds its way into the headlines. But with one minister resigning and another now under attack, a fight over citizenship policy is roiling the political scene in Denmark. Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:24:36 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/something-rotten-in-denmark/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/stateless-in-kuwait-who-are-the-bidoon/ Believe it or not, one of the richest countries on earth simply cannot be bothered to document the size of its stateless population, let alone resolve this long-standing problem. Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:30:56 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/stateless-in-kuwait-who-are-the-bidoon/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/dominican-reforms-fall-short/ The Dominican Republic is talking up reforms in its discriminatory process for acquiring national identity documents. A closer look reveals a much less encouraging picture. Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:36:44 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/03/dominican-reforms-fall-short/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/right-to-dominican-nationality-20110406 This factsheet outlines the discrimination faced by Dominicans of Haitian descent as they try to assert their right to nationality, and the work the Open Society Justice Initiative is doing to combat it. Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:35:31 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/right-to-dominican-nationality-20110406 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/kenyan-nubians-20110412 This Open Society Justice Initiative fact sheet provides an overview of statelessness and discrimination in access to nationality among Nubians in Kenya. Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:39:21 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/kenyan-nubians-20110412 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/without-citizenship-20110509 This report looks at the bidoon in Kuwait, a large population of stateless persons in the small emirate, with particular focus on discrimination in access to and withdrawal of nationality. Mon, 09 May 2011 17:12:24 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/without-citizenship-20110509 http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-nationality-20110624 This fact sheet explains the causes and consequences of statelessness for children around the world. Fri, 24 Jun 2011 16:37:55 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/children-nationality-20110624 http://blog.soros.org/2011/07/case-watch-battling-statelessness-in-slovenia/ Twenty years after the break-up of the Yugoslav federation, the European Court of Human Rights is focusing on the plight of 25,000 people who were erased from Slovenia's registry of residents after the republic declared its independence. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:56:34 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/07/case-watch-battling-statelessness-in-slovenia/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/07/why-mobilization-matters-for-roma/ In this interview, Open Society Roma Initiatives Fellow Mensur Haliti explains why census mobilization matters, and what drives his personal commitment to Roma emancipation. Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:47:47 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/07/why-mobilization-matters-for-roma/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/08/why-the-convention-on-statelessness-matters/ The Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which is marking its 50th anniversary, remains the best international tool we have to help the more than 12 million people around the world who have no nationality anywhere. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:55:33 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/08/why-the-convention-on-statelessness-matters/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/08/stateless-in-the-dominican-republic-one-familys-story/ When two-month-old Rosleidi fell ill, her mother, Roxana, counted on the family's health insurance to provide her daughter with the care she needed. Were it only so simple. Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:55:24 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/08/stateless-in-the-dominican-republic-one-familys-story/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/09/the-return-dilemmas-for-congolese-refugees-in-rwanda/ Tens of thousands of Congolese refugees are poised to return to their home country after more than a decade of exile in neighboring Rwanda. They face a cold welcome. Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:11:24 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/09/the-return-dilemmas-for-congolese-refugees-in-rwanda/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/goldston-stateless-20110928 James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, highlights the impact of statelessness on children, and makes six recommendations to the international community on how to respond. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:08:37 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/articles_publications/publications/goldston-stateless-20110928 http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/fear-and-statelessness-in-mauritania/ An outbreak of violence in southern Mauritania has drawn attention to fears among the country's black population that a government census could lead to loss of citizenship rights. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:25:36 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/fear-and-statelessness-in-mauritania/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/nubian-children-20111004 The African Union body responsible for protecting children's rights has urged Kenya to grant citizenship to children of its stateless Nubian minority, in a ruling that marks a victory in the battle against statelessness across the continent and beyond. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 09:51:39 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/nubian-children-20111004 http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/case-watch-an-african-victory-in-the-struggle-against-statelessness/ A decision by an African regional children's rights committee delivered on behalf of tens of thousands of children in Kenya who grow up without citizenship rights has set a new standard for tribunals both in Africa and around the world in the battle against statelessness. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:30:23 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/case-watch-an-african-victory-in-the-struggle-against-statelessness/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/kenyas-invisible-women/ In the small town of Malindi, Kenya, women who use drugs will never receive the services they deserve until the community listens to their needs. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:29:22 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/kenyas-invisible-women/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/abusing-citizenship-in-zambia-again/ The manipulation of citizenship laws for political purposes has long been a popular way of excluding opponents and silencing critics. In Zambia it's become all too familiar. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:34:07 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/10/abusing-citizenship-in-zambia-again/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/11/on-the-agenda-in-algiers-african-childrens-rights-and-nationality/ The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) is less than a decade old, it but its first-ever ruling on a complaint affirmed principles that are crucial to eradicating statelessness and minimizing discrimination against vulnerable minorities. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:49:14 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/11/on-the-agenda-in-algiers-african-childrens-rights-and-nationality/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/remembering-sonia-pierre-human-rights-defender/ Sonia Pierre, who died suddenly on Sunday, December 4, will be remembered by all who worked with her as a tireless advocate for the rights of people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:10:48 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/remembering-sonia-pierre-human-rights-defender/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/citizenship-and-state-succession-in-the-sudans/ In July, the Republic of South Sudan became Africa's newest independent state. Since then, the Sudanese government in Khartoum has refused to consider the several hundred thousand "southerners" resident in the north-some of them for decades, many of them born there-as citizens of the Republic of Sudan. They are already feeling the harsh effects. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:28:48 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/citizenship-and-state-succession-in-the-sudans/ http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/ending-slavery-in-mauritania-needs-more-than-a-law/ Mauritania has carried out the first prosecutions under its 2007 anti-slavery law. But more needs to be done to manage the unintended consequences of criminalizing a deeply entrenched social phenomemon. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:17:09 EST http://blog.soros.org/2011/12/ending-slavery-in-mauritania-needs-more-than-a-law/ http://blog.soros.org/2012/01/israels-supreme-court-condones-discriminatory-citizenship-law/ In a setback for equal rights, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a series of petitions challenging a law that, among other things, makes it impossible for Palestinians to acquire Israeli citizenship through marriage. Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:55:16 EST http://blog.soros.org/2012/01/israels-supreme-court-condones-discriminatory-citizenship-law/ http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-summer-course-20120125 The Open Society Justice Initiative and the Statelessness Programme at Tilburg University Law School invite applicants for a summer course on statelessness, to be held in Tilburg, The Netherlands, from July 23 to 27, 2012. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:40:53 EST http://www.soros.org/initiatives/justice/news/statelessness-summer-course-20120125