Abandoned by the world
Al Jazeera looks at the plight of stateless people.
Stateless people often have minimal, if any, access to basic rights |
Everyone has the right to a nationality, according to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But it is estimated that more than 11 million people in over 70 countries can be classed as “stateless”.
The UN defines a stateless person as someone who is not a national of any state under its laws. That means they have no citizenship, no passport, and are without recourse to representation by a nation or government.
Most are not classed as refugees and cannot claim asylum because they are not fleeing persecution or have never even left their long-term homes.
Stateless people experience many of the same economic and social disadvantages as slaves in the ancient world. They often have minimal, if any, access to basic rights such as education and healthcare.
Al Jazeera looks at the plight of stateless peoples around the world.
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Hill tribes caught without a country
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Stranded in Bangladesh
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Decades in limbo in Lebanon
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Palestinians unwelcome in Canada
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Kurdish dreams of independence
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Europe’s Roma outsiders
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Kenya’s Nubians fight for their rights
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Photographing the ‘nowhere people’ Greg Constantine is a professional photographer who has devoted his life to documenting struggling communities. His latest project is called “Nowhere People”. Watch his story in his own words. |