PH Joins Int’l Community in Committing to Resolve Statelessness
Assistant Secretary Adonis Sulit of the Department of Justice (DOJ) delivers the Philippine Statement on 08 October 2019 during the General Debate at the High Level Segment on Statelessness held as part of the UNHCR 70th Executive Session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. (Geneva PM photo)
GENEVA 16 October 2019 — The Philippines shared its key achievements in recent years in addressing statelessness and joined the international community in expressing its steadfast commitment to resolve it during the General Debate at the High Level Segment on Statelessness on 08 October 2019.
The said General Debate is part of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 70th Executive Session at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
“In 2017, the Philippines adopted a National Action Plan to End Statelessness by 2024, a first in Southeast Asia and running in parallel with the #iBelong campaign,” Assistant Secretary Adonis Sulit of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in the Philippine Statement.
Among the key action points of the National Action Plan are resolving existing cases of statelessness, ensuring that no child is born stateless, and improving the quantitative and qualitative data on stateless populations.
“On the part of the Philippines, our deeply rooted culture of hospitality and compassion for others seek to ensure that no one is left behind. Thus, in order to effectively address the challenges created by statelessness, the Philippine Government is guided by our adherence to human rights instruments, and our national policies and commitments to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) following the fundamental Filipino value of pakikipagkapwa (feeling one with others). We wish to underscore that the Philippines has identified statelessness as one of the priorities under its National Development Plan, and is also embedded in the country’s long-term vision Ambisyon Natin 2040,” he added.
In connection with efforts to address statelessness, the Philippines supports the Global Compact on Refugees as a framework for Member States and stakeholders to engage, cooperate and find ways, in a more predictable manner, to alleviate the plight of refugees. It also has a continuing partnership with civil society, academe, the private sector, persons of concern, and other States on this matter.
UNHCR convened this year, as part of its 70th Executive Session, the High-Level Segment on Statelessness to give States and stakeholders the opportunity to highlight their key achievements in addressing statelessness since the #IBelong Campaign was launched in November 2014 and to deliver concrete pledges to address statelessness in the remaining five years of the #IBelong Campaign.
Together with States, civil society and other UN Agencies, the #IBelong Campaign seeks to end statelessness by 2024 by resolving existing statelessness situations, preventing new cases from emerging and better identifying and protecting stateless populations around the world. It aims to do so in accordance with the Global Action Plan to End Statelessness: 2014-2024. END
For more information, visit https://www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/.