Exploring the Intersection of Digital Identity, Statelessness, and Inclusion
Date: 7–17 October 2024
Venue: Nairobi, Kenya
Hosted by: Namati and the Grassroots Justice Network
Participant: Jenna Biedscheid, Coalition Coordinator, Nationality for All
Last month, Nationality for All’s Coalition Coordinator, Jenna, participated in the Digital ID & Legal Empowerment Learning Exchange held from 7–17 October 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by Namati and the Grassroots Justice Network. 🇰🇪
The exchange brought together practitioners, researchers, and advocates from across the globe to explore the implications of Digital ID systems on access to rights, justice, and inclusion. This convening came at a pivotal moment as NFA conducts regional research on the impact of emerging Digital ID systems on stateless persons across the Asia-Pacific, as part of the Statelessness Encyclopedia Asia Pacific (SEAP) report. 🌏🔍
Learning, Sharing, and Collaborating
The Learning Exchange offered an invaluable opportunity to share experiences, insights, and strategies from diverse contexts. Participants examined the complexities, risks, and opportunities associated with the expansion of Digital ID systems, particularly for stateless persons and other historically excluded communities who face barriers to civil registration and legal recognition.
Sessions delved into critical questions such as:
- How do Digital ID systems shape access to nationality, services, and protection?
- What accountability mechanisms are needed to prevent exclusion and discrimination?
- How can communities engage meaningfully in the design of inclusive and rights-based ID systems?
Building Regional Perspectives on Digital Identity
For NFA, this exchange reinforced the need to approach Digital ID and statelessness as deeply interconnected issues. As governments in Asia and the Pacific adopt new digital identity frameworks, it is essential to ensure these systems do not replicate or deepen exclusion, but instead advance equality, dignity, and justice.
Insights gained during the exchange will inform NFA’s upcoming SEAP research and advocacy, helping amplify the perspectives of stateless and at-risk populations in the digital age.
Looking Ahead
💛 Nationality for All extends its gratitude to Namati and the Grassroots Justice Network for hosting this timely and inspiring learning exchange. Events like these remind us that the movement for legal empowerment and the right to nationality is global, built on collaboration, shared learning, and solidarity.
