August 2025, Europe: Launch of a new publication on preventing childhood statelessness across the region

In July, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (ODIHR/OSCE), the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched a joint publication entitled Opening Doors for Children: Prevention of Childhood Statelessness. Good Practices in the OSCE Area.

The publication aims to support further dialogue and exchange of promising practices among stakeholders by showcasing the various legal and policy measures that have been implemented across OSCE participating States to prevent childhood statelessness. In particular, it emphasises the need to ensure that every child is registered at birth, as well as to incorporate safeguards into nationality laws to prevent statelessness at birth. Child Identity Protection (CHIP) welcomes the recognition of the necessity of universal birth registration in acquiring a legal identity and ending childhood statelessness, so that all children may access all their rights as fully-recognised persons.

Source: ODIHR, HCHM and UNHCR, Opening Doors for Children: Prevention of Childhood Statelessness. Good Practices in the OSCE Area, 2025, https://www.osce.org/odihr/593126.