Philippines’ accession to 1961 statelessness convention
Philippines joined the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi said “This shows a true commitment to closing the gaps that leave people, especially children, at risk of statelessness. Ensuring that everyone enjoys the right to a nationality is also part of building a peaceful and more stable world.” UNHCR highlights the fact that the right to a nationality is critical and the legal protection it affords can be lifesaving. Stateless people and those at risk of statelessness may be excluded from accessing basic rights and critical services, including healthcare, education and socio-economic assistance. The Philippines also remains the first and only country in the region to have adopted the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. Child Identity Protection welcomes the adoption of the Convention by the Philippines, which will contribute to a better protection of everybody’s, including children’s, right to nationality, which is an essential part of the identity.
