Geneva, Switzerland | 15–16 October 2024
Following the official launch of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness at the UNHCR Executive Committee High-Level Segment on 14 October, the first Regional Network Lab was convened in Geneva on 15–16 October 2024. The event was co-organised by UNHCR, as the Secretariat of the Global Alliance, and the European Network on Statelessness (ENS).
Regional Network Labs are a core building block of the Global Alliance, designed to strengthen dynamic and interlinked regional networks to support the design and implementation of context-sensitive solutions to statelessness. The focus of the first Lab was on strengthening trans-regional exchange and knowledge-sharing to accelerate change making efforts.
Workshops and Participation
Over two days, 36 participants engaged in participatory workshops, discussions, and reflection spaces. These sessions explored:
- The development of regional statelessness civil society networks.
- Translation of shared knowledge into law and policy reform at national and regional levels.
- The role of trans-regional exchange in supporting the Global Alliance’s mission and ensuring its successful implementation.
Participants represented regional civil society networks, stateless-led groups, global NGOs, academia, and UNHCR, bringing diverse perspectives and expertise.
SDCC-AP actively participated and facilitated several sessions, contributing regional experience and insights from Asia Pacific to global conversations on addressing statelessness.
Key Learnings and Issues Raised
The Lab was a success in bringing regional networks together in one room, fostering relationships, and enabling meaningful exchange. Key issues raised included:
- The lack of reliable data on affected populations.
- Resourcing gaps, including the need to strengthen support for regional civil society networks.
- Concerns around the mental health of stateless communities.
- The importance of developing and mainstreaming good practice models for community engagement.
Participants expressed strong interest in hosting future Regional Network Labs in different world regions (with intra-regional approaches) and dedicating a session specifically to supporting and mainstreaming community-led changemaking efforts.
Looking Ahead
From 2025 onwards, Regional Network Labs will be rolled out in collaboration with UNHCR, Global Alliance members, regional intergovernmental organisations, key governments, civil society networks, and stateless-led organisations. These Labs will build on the foundations laid in Geneva, working towards co-developing solutions that protect the rights of stateless persons and ensure that everyone enjoys the right to a nationality.
✨ SDCC-AP remains committed to contributing to and shaping this process, ensuring that regional voices from the Asia Pacific and the lived experiences of stateless persons are central to the Global A