Invisible Children: The Stateless Children of North Korean Refugees

This briefing paper examines the issue of statelessness globally, including a brief overview of definitions, causes and the international legal framework aimed at protecting stateless persons. The paper then focuses on the specific context of stateless children borne of defectors from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and how statelessness can be prevented and reduced within the North Korean human rights context.

Currently, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that at least ten million people around the world are stateless. Of these, it is estimated that at least 20,000 to 30,000 are stateless children borne of North Korean female defectors, many of whom are victims of human trafficking, prostitution and/or forced marriage to Chinese nationals.

The paper concludes with some strategic approaches on how allies can be united to end statelessness and some specific recommendations to end statelessness for North Korean children.

Download the paper below.