UNHCR West Africa launches animation film on statelessness

Accra, May 24, GNA - The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has launched an animation film on statelessness, as part of efforts to eradicate the problem.

The launch was on the occasion of the 74th Ordinary Session of the Council Ministers of the ECOWAS held in Accra on May 15-16.

A statement issued by the UNHCR and copied to the Ghana News Agency over the weekend, noted that, the film illustrates the circumstances that lead many people in this region and beyond to become stateless, and invites Governments to improve their laws on nationality.

It said statelessness was one of the important topics of discussion at the Accra meeting.

The statement said at least, 750,000 people are stateless or at risk of statelessness in West Africa, and more than 10 million throughout the world.

It said the Ministerial conference of the ECOWAS region, which took place in Abidjan in February 2015, was dedicated to the problem of statelessness.

It observed that, the meeting was the occasion for the member States of 'this sub-regional institution to commit, alongside UNHCR, to eradicating this plight by 2024.'

'Stateless people do not have a nationality and are not recognized as citizens by any State under the operation of its law,' it said.

'This situation has a negative impact on people's lives because possessing a nationality is very often a prerequisite for the enjoyment of all other human rights, including access to education, healthcare and legal services,' it added.

GNA