Topic: Rights of Stateless Persons
Country: Senegal
Delegate Name: Jennifer Bell
School: Grand Rapids City High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Senegal position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The 1954 UN Convention relating to the status of stateless persons establishes that stateless persons shall be accorded the same rights and benefits as nationals. Even with the rights afforded to stateless persons in this charter, there is still considerable work to be done. The Syrian Refugee Crisis, the statelessness of Palestine, and the refugees and stateless persons in every nation need to be addressed as to best limit further refugee crises, and to naturalize and gain citizenship for stateless persons. Senegal is at a crossroads of Africa and Europe, with strong ties to France and friendly relations with the United States. These positive diplomatic relations are essential to the success and well being of migrants and people worldwide, connecting Africa and the Islamic world with the Western world. These connections will hopefully extend to refugees seeking asylum, inside and outside of Africa, and that all nations can work to find a beneficial solution that will aid all stateless persons and refugees. Senegal harbors more than 100,000 migrants, both nationals and stateless persons, primarily from other West African nations, especially Mauritania. With the UN refugee agency, efforts towards repatriation have been made for Mauritanian refugees. Repatriation, however, can only be achieved once stateless persons and refugees have a safe and stable home to return to. This is especially significant in regards to the crisis in Syria and Aleppo, where to continue living in such conditions would be unsustainable, and a violation of basic human rights. As the United Nations, it is essential to come together and create means for displaced people to find asylum and citizenship in any and all nations worldwide. Safe transportation and protection of stateless persons should be made a priority. The UN can aid in such measures by providing military support, and humanitarian relief in accordance with NGOs to help refugees safely migrate to other nations. The statelessness present in Palestine needs to be recognized and addressed, in order to afford the people of Palestine the benefits and protections of citizenship in a universally recognized state. Stateless people worldwide need to be afforded the right to safety, asylum, and eventual citizenship.
