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The plan focuses on three interconnected goals: strengthening legal frameworks to protect stateless people's rights; empowering stateless communities to lead change efforts; and enhancing ENS as a diverse, accountable network.

Underpinning the plan is a commitment to collaboration, learning and inclusion. It has been developed through extensive consultation with ENS members, staff, stateless people and other experts.

Read our Strategic Plan

Who we are

The European Network on Statelessness (ENS) is a civil society alliance of organisations and individuals working to promote the right to a nationality in Europe. Our network brings together over 180 members in more than 40 countries and includes grassroots community organisations, national and international NGOs, legal advice agencies, think tanks, individuals with lived experience of statelessness, and other experts.

Since establishing in 2012, we have been working to ensure that statelessness is given the attention it is due as a critical human rights issue. We are dedicated to raising awareness about statelessness and the right to a nationality, supporting legal and policy development, and building civil society’s capacity to act. We work collaboratively with others and our partners trust us to provide them with reliable and high-quality comparative research, information, and analysis. Together, we seek to be an effective catalyst for change that improves the lives of people affected by statelessness across Europe.

Our London-based Secretariat steers and coordinates our work, providing guidance and channelling the expertise of those we work with into impactful solutions. Our members play a critical role, leading on national-level activities and contributing to regional and international advocacy. Our Advisory Committee draws on the diverse perspectives and experience of its members to shape and inform our work, all of which is overseen by our experienced and dedicated Board of Trustees. At the heart of our work lies the understanding that stateless people and their communities should be the leaders of change.

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The change we want to see

How we will achieve change

Strategic Goal 1

Legal and policy frameworks ensure the effective realisation of the right to a nationality and other human rights of stateless people 

1.1. Domestic and international laws and policies are adopted, improved, and effectively implemented 
1.2. Advocacy and decision-making are informed by accurate and accessible information, including from stateless communities 
1.3. Different audiences are engaged and mobilised to act on statelessness 
1.4. Key actors mainstream statelessness as a cross-cutting issue in relevant policy area

We will know we have made progress because decision-makers will have made positive changes to law and policy, countries will be assessed more positively in our Statelessness Index, court rulings will uphold the rights of stateless people, more of our outputs will be informed by stateless people, and more people will have engaged with our campaigns.

Strategic Goal 2

People with lived experience of statelessness and their communities can claim power as leaders of change

2.1. Stateless individuals and communities are able to fully participate in ENS changemaking
2.2. Relationships and partnerships between stateless people and allies are strengthened
2.3. Stateless communities are supported to work effectively on statelessness

We will know we have made progress because more of our activities, content and campaigns will have been informed and led by stateless communities, there will be more people with lived experience in our Network, more funding will be allocated to support initiatives led by stateless people, and those we work with will report increased agency, skills and capacity to lead change efforts.

Strategic Goal 3

The European Network on Statelessness is an accountable, inclusive and sustainable network

3.1. Organisational effectiveness is continually strengthened
3.2. Member capacity, engagement and representation are enhanced
3.3. ENS embodies best practice as a learning network
3.4. The network is representative of affected communities

We will know we have made progress because we will have raised more funds from diverse sources, staff will remain with the organisation, our members will report increased capacity on statelessness, stateless people will be represented in our internal structures, more members will lead initiatives on statelessness and report positive feedback about ENS.