statelessness
Quick Summary
Statelessness refers to the condition of being without citizenship in any country. In international law, nationality is a fundamental right, meaning everyone has the right to a nationality, and no one should be arbitrarily deprived of it. Nationality is crucial as it brings individuals under the scope of international law and grants them access to rights and privileges conferred by states.123
States determine who their nationals are, but this right is not unlimited. Generally, individuals acquire nationality by birth within a state's territory or from their parents. When territory is ceded, inhabitants may have the option to acquire the new state's nationality. The absence of universally binding laws has led to issues like dual nationality and stateless persons, who have no nationality at all.3
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