Stateless people are not protected by any state or law. They are denied basic human rights. In a world defined by state affiliation, they exist in a precarious limbo, excluded from the rights and services most take for granted. They are often denied access to education, healthcare, and legal employment. They cannot vote, own property, or even register their children at birth, perpetuating generational marginalization. Basic activities, like signing contracts or traveling, become nearly impossible without official documents, leaving stateless individuals vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. The causes of statelessness are varied and complex, including migration and displacement, deprivation of citizenship, discrimination based on political, religious or gender biases or even incomplete population statistics, but the consequences are universally devastating.

The UNHCR estimates that at least 4.2 million people worldwide are stateless, though other sources suggest the true figure may be closer to 10 million.In Lebanon over 60,000 people are stateless: unregistered Lebanese who pass on their statelessness to their children, Palestinians whose families have lived in Lebanon for generations and yet are not granted citizenship. Or refugees from Syria and Iraq who have lost their citizenship due to conflicts in their home countries.