The report reveals that at least 3,000 individuals in Italy are stateless or at risk of becoming stateless, with Roma communities from the former Yugoslavia, as well as people from former Soviet states, Cuba, China (Tibet), and Palestinian origin being the most affected. Italy has been a pioneer in protecting stateless individuals since the 1950s, ratifying the 1954 Convention on Statelessness and introducing an administrative procedure for determining statelessness in 1993.
Italy also signed a cooperation agreement with the UNHCR in 2023 and made commitments at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum to continue protecting stateless people. However, the UNHCR's study underscores the need for further progress to ensure that international standards are met and the rights of stateless individuals are fully protected. Key recommendations from the report include improving data collection on stateless populations, enhancing the legal framework for determining statelessness, and ensuring full access to rights for stateless people.
Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the right to nationality for children born in Italy who would otherwise be stateless.