Page 27 - Issue 48

ELITE
Vol.1, Issue 48, October 2022

the original residents of the territory should
register their nationality in the new
government and for special circumstances,
they couldn’t. This is the reason why there is
a multiplicity of the Bidoon in Kuwait.
One other reason is not registering mixed
marriage in the government. Mixed marriage
is that kind of marriage that happens between
two persons of different religious beliefs.
Some governments oppose this kind of
marriage and consider it as illegitimate, such
as the Syrian government. This resulted in a
large number of Bidoon. Maha Mamo, is one
of them who recently was granted the
Brazilian nationality. She is a daughter to a
Syrian Muslim mother and a Syrian Christian To a Brighter and More “Recognizing Future”
father. The world is moving now towards recognizing

the stateless. Political and human rights activists
suggested many solutions in addition to the role
done by the international organizations.
The Kuwaiti Bidoon (the stateless of Kuwait) for
example were suggested that some of them who
fought in the wars would be granted the Kuwaiti
nationality while the rest of them to be granted
the nationality of a less populated country.
Stateless Conventions were another manifestation
by the international community to end
The problem with statelessness is that it does statelessness. Two stateless conventions were
not restrict its harms on one specific group, held, one in 1954 and the other in 1961. These
but almost any group. Children for example conventions were partly successful. About
are of the groups that are largely 300,000 stateless in Bangladesh were finally
disadvantaged by such issue. From the registered and recognized as citizens thanks to
moment they are born, they are recognized these conventions. Cote d’Iviore solved the issue
as “non-person”. Their birth is not registered from its roots and amended its citizenship laws
in the government, they lack IDs and the which opened the door to around 70,000 stateless
to acquire nationality.
harms go on to the extend that may not be “I Belong”, a campaign launched by the UNHCR
educated. Other handicapped group is the in 2014 aims at ending statelessness in the next
couples or future parents. Some couples get ten years, by 2024.
hesitant when it comes to marriage. They Reading about statelessness was a bit of an
fear the consequences of bequeathing their absurd journey. At the beginning, I did not even
Statelessness to their children. Others marry realize that such cases existed in our world. At
and divorce for the same reason. They will the end, statelessness will remain a remarkable
surely not be able to secure future for them. issue that the global community should shed
And in all cases, life becomes a harder more light on, and most importantly, recognize its
presence.
mission to live as a stateless person.

#4YEARS_ELITE 24