UNHCR continued to work with partners to improve understanding on access to citizenship and civil documentation across Myanmar, with a focus on ethnic and religious minorities. Overall, over 214 persons from minority groups in Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay and Bago Regions as well as Shan State were consulted on their experience in accessing citizenship determination procedures and the challenges that they are facing due to lack of documentation, as part of two different studies conducted by local civil society organisations. The findings were shared among key stakeholders working on citizenship issues and will inform future evidence-based advocacy. The research confirmed that some of the barriers people face in accessing citizenship documents include complex administrative processes, a high burden of proof, and high associated costs. Insights on access to citizenship were also gained through the provision of legal aid to vulnerable individuals in Yangon Region, where 1,623 families received legal assistance to access civil documentation thanks to the support of a local civil society organisation partnering with UNHCR. Around 2,500 individuals also participated in legal awareness sessions on the importance of civil documentation and the process for applying for citizenship. In an effort to improve the quality and availability of legal aid relating to citizenship documentation across Myanmar, UNHCR’s partners also undertook nine training of trainer (ToT) sessions with practicing lawyers and paralegal associations, reaching 228 persons overall.
In 2020, UNHCR prepared analyses on a range of issues relating to the stateless population in the Maungdaw area. For example, UNHCR prepared/updated analyses and reporting on the remaining stateless population and the impact of ongoing conflict on affected communities (including the stateless population and displaced stateless persons), housing, land and property (HLP), population exercises, and citizenship verification.