UN: three million people in the world are stateless

At least three million people around the world are stateless. This prevents them from exercising even the most basic rights.

According to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), entire sections of the population remain stateless. This situation is typical for Africa, Southeast Asia and the Balkans, Reuters reports . The largest persecuted ethno-religious group in the world that does not have citizenship of any country is the Rohingya in Myanmar. Since the end of August this year, approximately 600,000 people have fled violence and repression in Bangladesh, according to UNHCR's head of international protection, Carol Batchelor.

“If you live in this world without citizenship, then you are not a person, you do not have the rights and benefits that we consider natural. For example, for work and education,” she noted. Batchelor said governments should grant citizenship to people born on their territory, as well as make it easier to naturalize stateless people who have lived in the country for a long time. The UN hopes to end discriminatory practices by 2024.

According to UNHCR, in 2016 the number of refugees in the world reached 65.6 million people, which is 300 thousand more than the previous year. This is a record number for the entire history of statistics. People have been forced to flee their homes due to persecution, military conflict, violence and human rights violations.

22.5 million people found shelter in other countries and received refugee status; 40.3 million are internally displaced; 2.8 million are asylum seekers outside their home countries.