Strengthening asylum systems and addressing statelessness

Context

By the end of 2023, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached 117.3 million, driven by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disturbing public order. The number of asylum-seekers awaiting decisions rose by 26%, reaching 6.9 million, while an estimated 4.4 million people remained stateless or of undetermined nationality.

Many affected individuals live in countries with limited capacity to provide legal protection or identity documentation. Weak asylum systems and discriminatory nationality laws exacerbate exclusion and vulnerability—especially for women, children, persons with disabilities, and LGBTI people. Addressing these gaps is critical to upholding human rights and building inclusive governance structures.

Project overview

With an EU contribution of EUR 10 million, this global action is implemented in selected low- and middle-income countries including Chad, Mauritania, Colombia, Lebanon, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The project aims to strengthen fair, efficient, and rights-based asylum systems, while tackling the root causes and consequences of statelessness. It aligns with the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, the Global Compact on Refugees, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objectives

The action focuses on two complementary components:

Strengthening legal and institutional frameworks on asylum and statelessness
Reinforcing governance structures and national capacities to deliver inclusive, gender-sensitive services

Component 1: strengthening legal and institutional frameworks

Support the adoption and revision of asylum and statelessness legislation in line with international standards.
Build the capacity of asylum authorities to ensure fair, efficient, and rights-based refugee status determination (RSD) procedures.
Enhance national systems for birth registration and the issuance of nationality documents to prevent and reduce statelessness.
Promote regional cooperation, peer learning, and knowledge exchange through initiatives such as the Global Alliance to End Statelessness.

Component 2: reinforcing governance and inclusive service delivery

Train government officials and relevant actors on human rights-based and gender-responsive procedures.
Support the creation of inclusive services that guarantee access for women, children, persons with disabilities, LGBTI individuals, and other marginalised groups.
Provide legal counselling, assistance with civil documentation, and direct outreach to affected communities.
Raise public and political awareness to foster commitment to durable and inclusive solutions for displaced and stateless persons.

Expected results

Improved capacities of national authorities to formulate, review, and implement asylum-related legal and policy frameworks.
Strengthened ability of relevant authorities to prevent and reduce statelessness through birth registration and civil documentation.
Enhanced national capacity to conduct refugee status determination in line with international standards.
Increased awareness and advocacy for inclusive legal identity systems and non-discriminatory access to protection services.

Implementing partner

The project is implemented by UNHCR, working in close partnership with national and local authorities, as well as civil society organisations active in the asylum and statelessness domains.