Being stateless does not simply mean you have no documents.

Being stateless means being denied a legal identity when they are born, access to education, health care, marriage and job opportunities during their lifetime and even the dignity of an official burial and a death certificate when they die. Many pass on the curse of statelessness on to their children, who then pass it on to the next generation.

The endless physical and psychological insecurities has led to many stateless persons being traumatised. As part of the technical advise DHRRA provises to address statelessness it also continues to provide psychological support to enable them to manage and overcome their distress.

Subject Alice, was in the same situation when her biological parents did not do the necessary during her birth that led her to miss out many opportunities in life. She even attempted suicide as she felt no one could help her.

Since meeting her, DHRRA has provided psychological support. We also managed to trace her biological mother and had a good samaritan Mr. Khirubhanantha Kumar Palaniyappan sponsored her DNA cost to proof links to her Malaysian mother.

The solutions are within the reach, which is to amend policies and laws causing statelessness. Politicians and lawmakers must analyse and take necessary steps to address it.