Discrimination pervading life of stateless minorities: UN

Geneva, Nov 4 : Discrimination, exclusion and persecution are still pervading the life of the world's stateless minorities and immediate actions are needed to secure equal rights for all, said a UN report.

According to the latest report by the UN refugee agency UNHCR, over 75 per cent of the world's known stateless populations belong to minority groups and their protracted marginalization can build resentment, increase fear and, in the most extreme cases, lead to instability, insecurity and displacement.

"Stateless people are just seeking the same basic rights that all citizens enjoy. But stateless minorities often suffer from entrenched discrimination and a systematic denial of their rights," Xinhua news agency quoted UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi as saying.

"States must act now and they must act decisively to end statelessness."

The report named "This is our home: Stateless minorities and their search for citizenship" is released on the third anniversary of UNHCR's "I Belong" Campaign to end statelessness.