According to a study by the Right to Protection Foundation in Ukraine, 236,000 people are at risk of statelessness. This number may be significantly higher due to the ongoing war. Stateless individuals remain invisible to both the state and society, as no country recognises them as its citizens — or they struggle to prove their Ukrainian citizenship. With unclear legal status and limited rights, they cannot access formal employment or free medical care or register a marriage or the birth of a child. Many have lived in this condition for decades. Burdened by complex and lengthy bureaucratic procedures, they often cannot obtain documents on their own and do not know where to seek help.

One such story is that of Andriy Li, who lived without documents in Ukraine for over thirty years. The documentary Stateless Person, created by Babylon'13 in collaboration with the Right to Protection Foundation, follows his life, his struggle with bureaucracy, and the challenges he faced while obtaining legal documentation.

We invite you to watch the film and join the discussion afterwards about why people become stateless and how this status impacts their lives. We’ll also explore why Ukrainians fleeing occupation may face the risk of statelessness, and how society can begin to listen to those who struggle to speak up for their rights.

Speakers:
Sofiia Kordonets, Head of the Department for Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Stateless Persons at the Right to Protection Charitable Foundation;
Anastasiia Tykha, Director of the film Stateless Person;
Andriy Li, protagonist of the film Stateless Person, stateless person;
Maksym Butkevych, human rights defender and civic activist