Thursday at the monthly meeting of the Interministerial Committee for Human Rights (CIDP), the ratification of two UN conventions on statelessness, which is one of the main priorities of the CIDP, were on the agenda.

Soufiane Adjali, the Head of Office of the High Commissioner of the United Nations for Refugees (UNHCR), presented to the Committee, the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the prevention of cases of statelessness, essential legal instruments for the protection of stateless persons in the world. Remember that Haiti is one of the 142 States that have acceded to the 1951 Convention on Refugees, but has not yet ratified these two Conventions.

The UNHCR office is committed to support the Haitian authorities in the process of ratification of these Conventions before 2 September 2014.

The lack of identity documents remain one of the main causes of statelessness, issues relating to the reform of the Civil State in Haiti were discussed during this meeting. The Government confirmed that efforts are underway to provide all Haitian with Civil Status acts.

HL/ HaitiLibre