THEAnd the Roma community originally from the former Yugoslavia are the largest group. Then there are the people of Palestinian origin and those from States of the former Soviet Union, Cuba and China (Tibet). In all there are about 3,000 stateless people who live in Italy: men and women without any citizenship, or people that citizenship risk losing it. This is what emerges from Mapping of the policy in Italymade by‘TOLTO Commissioner of the United Nations for refugees (UNHCR)
People without any citizenship: the mapping of Papiaidia in Italy of the UNHCR
The report highlights the protection problems and priorities in terms of reforms in the Italian legal and procedural paintings as well as the Challenges faced by stateless people and by those who are at risk of alpolidia in Italy.
«The stateless people are among the most vulnerable in the world, without fundamental and often invisible rights for the authorities. Italy has already taken significant steps in the protection of statements, but It is essential to continue the commitment by collaborating with the authorities, with the organizations of civil society and legal clinics “ declare Chiara CardolettiRepresentative of the UNHCR in Italy.
The story of Karen Ducusin, neither Philippine nor Italian for 28 years: “I was none”
Among the people followed by UNHCR in the path of recognition of their rights there is Karen Ducusin, Born 30 years ago, in Messina, to Filipino parents. For 28 years, he lived without documents: neither Italians nor Filipinos.
“My parents had come to Italy to work. Shortly after my birth, my mother was bad and My father did not record me at the registry office. In serious economic difficulty, as well as social and linguistic, they separated. To keep me and my brothers, my mother worked day and night, so much so that He realized after a long time that I didn’t have a birth certificate. But he was afraid to turn to the Municipality, he feared they would take me away from her, “he says.
Without citizenship: limitations and denied rights
PEr long years, Karen has lived in limbo, Without identity, without rights and without answers. There was no trace of his existence. “I was none,” he says, while he confides that since childhood he has been perceived different from the others, without ever understanding the motivation. Without documents, at school he could not participate in trips or competitions. He could not access opportunities that were obvious for the others.
“I lived with a constant feeling of exclusion and uncertainty – he explains – not to belong to any country meant Not being able to study serenely, access a health service or simply live everyday life with the same safety and freedom of others. Every aspect of my life was marked by invisible but insurmountable limits ».
Growing up, the limitations have become increasingly heavy: no driving license and regular work, no possibility of building an independent future.
The doors slammed in the face by the institutions
Several times he asked the Municipality of Messina for help, but he never received concrete answers. Not even fromFilipino Embassy in Italy. «Already as a teenager, I wrote desperate emails to ask for their help, in vain. Having the Philippine mother was not enough, I would have had to go to a country I didn’t know, to obtain a “non -registration” certificate at the registry officewhich perhaps would allow me to ask for citizenship. But not only I didn’t have a passport, I didn’t even know the language and I feared I could no longer return to Italy »recalls Ducusin.
The fundamental help of UNHCR
After graduating from artistic high school, he wanted to continue his studies at the university, but without documents it was impossible. To offer her a glimmer of hope, indicating her the road to the Papiaidia, was UNHCR.
«For the first time, I didn’t feel alone. First of all, I gave a name to the situation I was experiencing. They gave me a new perspective, accompanying me in my path and showing me that possible solutions existed. Flanked by a lawyer, I exceeded the obstacles that prevented us from getting my rights“He says.
The legal path for stateless status and Italian citizenship
The evolution has been unexpected: thanks to documents such as report cards, postcards, greeting cards and pieces of paper which, albeit without any legal value, attested its existence, despite the many doors beaten in the face by the institutions, the AVvocato who flanked it, unexpectedly, managed to get her Italian citizenship, even before the stateless status.
“For just over a year, I am an Italian citizen. I would never have imagined that, after an unrecognized stateless life, I would finally have become Italian »sighs.
His life has finally changed. SortI is enrolled in the Faculty of Economics and Finance to Sapienza, in Rome. Today he has health care, he works in a commercial study and, together with other stateless ones, he founded the association Italian stately union, of which he is currently president.
The social commitment with the Italian APOLIDI Union Association
It offers practical support to people who live in Italy without citizenship, sensitize institutions and promote social inclusion. Among the various initiatives, they created a toolkit with guidelines and legal-social information pills, also involving legal operators, social workers and university students.
The support of organizations such as UNHCR is fundamental, which offers resources, consultancy and legal support. “They have been decisive in my personal journey, but they are equally fundamental to help us give voice to the stateless ones and fight for their violated human rights, so that no one is more forced to live in the shade“He specifies.
Karen’s new life with Italian citizenship, in the name of freedom
While smiling, still incredulous, remember The emotion experienced during his first flight by plane: «Last New Year, I made my first trip. I was in Denmark and Sweden, in search of the northern lights. I had a heart of gratitude. It was as if the world was opening up to me, as if every step taken until then had finally led me to that freedom that I had never thought of being able to live ».
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