Advancing Legal Frameworks for Nationality & Citizenship Rights in Africa · 25–27 July 2023
CEREDDA convened the Experts Conference on Statelessness in Africa in Nairobi from 25 to 27 July 2023, bringing together leading scholars in international law, human rights practitioners, government officials, civil society advocates, and representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and African Union institutions.
The three-day conference addressed the persistent challenge of statelessness across the continent — a crisis affecting millions of individuals who lack formal nationality and therefore access to fundamental rights including education, healthcare, political participation, and economic security. Through expert presentations, panel discussions, and working group sessions, participants examined the legal, administrative, and political dimensions of statelessness in diverse African contexts.
The conference aligned with the African Union's continental commitments under the AU Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and contributed to the broader global momentum generated by the UNHCR's IBelong Campaign for the eradication of statelessness by 2024.
A collective declaration calling on African states to reform discriminatory nationality laws, accede to UN Statelessness Conventions, and establish statelessness determination procedures aligned with international standards.
A set of targeted policy recommendations addressed to the African Union Commission, ECOSOCC, and national governments on institutional reforms needed to address statelessness at scale across the continent.
The establishment of a continental expert network on statelessness — linking legal scholars, advocates, and government officials for ongoing knowledge exchange and coordinated advocacy across African regions.