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Q: Why can children end up stateless?

Some countries’ citizenship laws may discriminate against ethnic or religious groups , or based on gender . When new countries are created or borders change , some groups can be left without a nationality if they struggle to prove their connection to that country. Children may be unable to acquire a nationality if their parents are stateless .

13 – 17

years

old

What does this mean?

Interesting fact!

How is this right protected in Ireland?

Does every child in Ireland get this right?

Why can children end up stateless?

What does this mean?

Article 7 of the UNCRC says that all children have the right to a name and an identity.

This is an important part of a child’s identity: it means that they belong to a country and that they can enjoy other rights protected under that country’s laws.

Interesting fact!

According to the 2022 Census, there were almost 632,000 people living in Ireland who weren’t Irish citizens. Almost half of these were from other EU countries.

The largest non-Irish groups were from Poland and the UK, followed by India, Romania, and Lithuania.

Over 170,000 people stated that they have dual-nationality, meaning they have citizenship from Ireland and another country.

How is this right protected in Ireland?

Previously, every child born in Ireland was automatically entitled to Irish citizenship. However, in 2004, the people of Ireland voted to change the citizenship rules in the Irish constitution. This now means that you are entitled to Irish citizenship if:

You were born in Ireland to a parent who is an Irish or UK citizen

You were born in Ireland to a parent who is not an Irish or UK citizen but had been living in Ireland for a certain number of years before your birth.

You were born outside Ireland to an Irish parent

You were born in Ireland and have no right to citizenship in another country

Does every child get this right?

While it can be hard to know exactly how many children are denied this right, it is estimated that millions of children around the world do not have citizenship of any country.

These children are often referred to as stateless. They can have challenges enjoying their other rights and they are particularly vulnerable to discrimination and exploitation.

Why can children end up stateless?

Some countries’ citizenship laws may discriminate against ethnic or religious groups, or based on gender.

When new countries are created or borders change, some groups can be left without a nationality if they struggle to prove their connection to that country.

Children may be unable to acquire a nationality if their parents are stateless.

Find out what you can do when you’re not getting your rights.