Federative Republic of Brazil

Positions for the General Assembly Plenary

I.

Addressing the Social, Economics, and Cultural Challenges faced by Stateless Persons

Upon addressing the issues of statelessness, Brazils Justice Minister Luiz Paulo Barreto emphasized the
idea of international cooperation on finding the solution to ensure protection for stateless people and refugees.
Unlike some other parts of the world, Brazil and other Latin American countries automatically grant citizenship to
those who were born on their soil; thus there are relatively less stateless people in the region. Justice Minister
reinforced his idea in proclaiming that Brazil has an internal mechanism to prevent statelessness. Anyone who is
born in Brazil is considered Brazilian, while children of Brazilians born in other parts of the world are also
Brazilians.1 For people who migrated to Brazil, it provides the fast-track system for resettlement in 48 hours.
Being aware that migration can be misunderstood as criminal law, Brazil urged other countries to adhere
to non-refoulement [no forced return] principle. It also drafted legislation which specified that any person who is
not considered by any State, under its own legislation, as its national, will be national of Brazil as set forth in the
1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons and Decree No. 4246 of 2002. Brazil is one of 35 countries
that have signed the 1961 U.N. Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which is to help the world's 12-15
million stateless people2. Brazil understands the socio-economics consequences of individual rights deprivation
that results from being displaced or stateless. Children are not allowed to get access to proper schooling, no
nationality resulting in no legal documentations for employment seeking, enjoying healthcare benefits, renting an
apartment, registering for marriage, obtaining drivers license or opening a bank account. These basic rights
deprivation adversely affect an individuals active participation and contribution in the economy and their emotion
stability. As a nation strongly advocating for individual rights and bridging the gap of statelessness, UNHCR in
Brazil is supporting the pledges made by the Government for the approval of a statelessness bill that strengthens
the resettlement program and provides legal and physical protection for people of concern.
Within the country, Brazil needs to raise its citizens awareness about statelessness so as to eradicate the prejudice
and discrimination against the stateless and refugees. It adheres to the idea that rights granted to individuals in
accordance with their attributes of personalities and contributions to society rather than their nationality. +30
Cartagena - Brazil Plan of Action, gives a details of what should be done such as designing policies and programs
at the local levels to promote intercultural spirit among communities, providing vocational and professional
training, strengthening the coordination of governmental and non-governmental institutions to assist stateless and
refugees to public services. Brazils initiative in solving the statelessness problem and calling for cooperation in the
1 Q&A: Brazil's Justice Minister Committed to Helping the Displaced and Stateless." UNHCR News.
Accessed February 03, 2016. http://www.unhcr.org/4cd94b0f9.html.
2 UNHCR - Refugees Daily." UNHCR - Refugees Daily. Accessed February 03, 2016.
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/refdaily?pass=52fc6fbd5.

Latin America region sets its forward as one of the leading countries in attaining the highest standards of
humanitarian rights.