The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) Office in Malta delivered an information package on Statelessnessto the Speaker of the House, Dr. Angelo Farrugia as part of the global campaign to eradicate Statelessness, iBelong.
Speaker of the House Dr Angelo Farrugia with UNHCR Malta Representative Kahin Ismail
The same information package will be delivered to all Member of Parliament whilst urging the Maltese Government to sign the two Statelessness Conventions, namely the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Conventionon the Reduction of Statelessness’.
In European Union, only four countries are not yet party to any of the Statelessness conventions: Cyprus, Estonia, Poland and Malta. UNHCR encourages Malta to become party to these conventions in order to protect stateless persons, and prevent and reduce statelessness.
Across the world today, more than ten million people are told they do not belong anywhere.They are called ‘stateless’. They are denied a nationality. And with it, they are denied their basic rights. Statelessness can mean a life without education, without medical care, or legal employment. It can mean a life without theability to move freely, without prospects, or hope.
“We are glad that we were welcomed today bythe Speaker of the House, Dr Angelo Farrugia, to officially present this information package,” said Kahin Ismail, UNHCR Malta’s recently appointed Representative. “Statelessness is a pressing theme for some people who might be currently without basic rights because they are not recognized as nationals by any State. We urge the Maltese Government to take the opportunity of the EU Presidency to accede to the Statelessness Conventions.”
UNHCR urges Malta to sign Statelessness Conventions ©DOI – Omar Camilleri
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