A life-changing experience: reflecting on the "Statelessness in Scotland” workshop in Edinburgh

Combatting statelessness in Scotland 

The latest New Scots strategy – a Scottish Government initiative that aims to support refugees and asylum seekers in Scotland's communities - for the first time includes a commitment to address statelessness. As part of the New Scots strategy delivery plan, we delivered a workshop bringing together various stakeholders including the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), and our members Scottish Refugee Council and JustRight Scotland, to provide an overview of statelessness, share experiences and case studies, and to develop recommendations for how to implement the strategy. 

Being in a room with individuals dedicated to combating statelessness was profoundly inspiring. The workshop underscored the power of collaboration in addressing complex legal issues, bringing together policymakers, legal experts, advocates, and researchers to contribute towards the shared goal of building a fairer world for those affected by statelessness. 

A highlight of the day was a powerful icebreaker activity where participants stood in a line based on the distance from their place of birth to London. By holding hands, we symbolised unity despite differences in geography and background, reminding us of our shared humanity and commitment to inclusivity. During the workshop, I addressed global human rights, focusing on the rights of stateless people in the migratory context. I revealed the harsh reality of in situ statelessness—where people lack legal nationality in their own homeland, and contrasted it with statelessness resulting from migration, where displacement heightens their vulnerabilities. I emphasised the intricate complexities and deep connections between these identities by exploring scenarios where someone is both stateless and a refugee. My goal was to inform and empower attendees by clarifying how statelessness intersects with migration, refugee status, and international legal frameworks, inspiring them to engage more deeply with these pressing global challenges. 

The audience's engagement was heartening; participants posed insightful questions and appreciated the clarity of this often-overlooked subject, reaffirming my dedication to raising awareness about statelessness.  

Next steps 

While there are some positive provisions in law and policy in Scotland for stateless people, there is limited awareness of statelessness among relevant officials, NGOs, lawyers, and even affected communities. Over the course of the workshop, participants shared case studies and experiences on statelessness in the contexts of civil registration, trafficking, violence against women and girls, healthcare, legal aid, population data, children in care, and refugee support services. Pulling together everyone’s reflections and expertise, we noted some areas for further action. 

• Mainstreaming statelessness within asylum and migration processes/responses 

• The need to develop tools to identify statelessness in Scotland 

• The need to further understand and address statelessness/nationality problems for children in the care system in Scotland 

• The need for early access to expert legal advice that addresses nationality matters as well as immigration/asylum issues and to ensure that this complex work is fully resourced 

• Enhancing the cooperation between local authorities to identify and record nationality and statelessness more accurately and signpost/refer to advice and support  

• Improving how statelessness and nationality matters are addressed within trafficking response/legislation  

• The need to mainstream awareness of the connection between statelessness and violence against women and girls