OBMICA Newsletter Editorial December 2023

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) takes place every four years as the world's largest gathering on this issue, seeking to support the implementation of the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees.

In December 2023, more than 4,200 participants from 168 countries gathered in Geneva, including more than 300 refugee delegates. OBMICA attended this major event. Statelessness is not only highly relevant, but it must have greater visibility on the agenda of events such as the Forum. We recall that statelessness is both a cause and a consequence of forced displacement, as recognized in the New York Declaration that paved the way for adoption of the Refugee Compact and the Migration Compact. It is also highly relevant to a development agenda, since nationality is a gateway to other economic and social rights and services that are critical for achieving strong human development outcomes. At the first Forum in 2019, it is worth noting that this was the issue that secured the greatest number of pledges. In 2023, the day before the GRF began, several civil society organizations organized a side event, "Multi-stakeholder Approaches to Eradicating Statelessness," featuring UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett, with 140 people attending in person and more than 200 online. More information on this important step forward for the Forum appears below.

On the final day of the Forum, a closing high-level event was organized by UNHCR: "From Pledges to Results: Realizing a World Free of Statelessness through Collaborative Action." It was led by Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees Gillian Triggs, who announced the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, a new multi-stakeholder UNHCR initiative to be formally launched in 2024. This activity underscored an important component of the Alliance, its Solutions Seeker Programme, an effective pledge process with considerable potential if states make full use of the mechanism. It was important to hear oral commitments expressed at the event by the United States, Iraq, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. From civil society's perspective, we understand that our voices must be heard when it comes to finding solutions to eradicate statelessness. In particular, stateless people and their communities must be centered in these efforts for change. Since the 2019 GRF there has been progress in this area, but much remains to be done to ensure a more inclusive approach and more horizontal relationships among the parties involved.

Bridget Wooding