<p>The UN Refugee Agency has welcomed the progress made by the Governments of Indonesia and the Philippines to confirm the nationality of nearly 3,000 people of Indonesian descent living in the southern Philippines. This is one of a series of positive steps taken by ASEAN States since the launch of a global campaign to end statelessness by 2024.</p> <p>Volker Türk, UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, made these comments at a Jakarta panel discussion on 14 November 2016 titled “The Right to Nationality and Ending Statelessness in ASEAN”.</p>

<p>Until he received his Thai citizenship and identification card this month, life was very difficult for 17-year-old Joe as a stateless person.</p> <p>&ldquo;I couldn&rsquo;t go to places I wanted to go, though the rest of my family could. Police always stopped me from leaving my village since I didn&rsquo;t have anything to prove I was Thai,&rdquo; he says. </p>

<p>Governments across Asia must register all children at birth to effectively address the issue of stateless people, says global child rights organisation Plan International. </p>