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UNHCR welcomes Thailand's grant of nationality to stateless people

Xinhua, December 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN refugee agency UNHCR welcomed the Royal Thai government's announcement on Tuesday that more than 18,000 people had been granted nationality in Thailand in the last three years.

Speaking at a media briefing here Tuesday, UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said this marked an important further step in the global campaign to end statelessness by 2024.

According to official figure, the number of stateless people in Thailand currently stands at 443,862.

Without nationality, many say they cannot enjoy their human rights in full including the right to move freely and to own property. They also have poorer access to basic services like affordable health care and higher education.

The spokesperson said that in recent years UNHCR has worked with authorities to reach out to affected communities while trying to streamline the application procedure to ensure the timely processing of eligible applicants.

The agency has similarly helped to build capacity among decision makers at the district level and funded the deployment of mobile teams to remote villages, as well as working to sensitize and counsel communities, Spindler said.

According to UNHCR, more than 10 million people are believed to be stateless around the world. Endit