Strengthening Regional Solidarity and Cross-Border Collaboration
Date: 23–24 October 2024
Venue: Taipei, Taiwan
Organised by: BEBESEA (Beyond Borders: Equality in Southeast Asia)
Participant: Melinda Anne Sharlini, Programme Coordinator, Nationality for All
On 23–24 October 2024, Nationality for All’s Programme Coordinator, Melinda Anne Sharlini, participated in the Cross-Regional Forum: Promoting Rights of People on the Move in East and Southeast Asia, organised by BEBESEA in Taipei, Taiwan.
The forum served as a vibrant space for cross-regional collaboration, dialogue, and solidarity, bringing together advocates, practitioners, and community representatives from across East and Southeast Asia. Discussions spanned a broad range of themes concerning migration, mobility, and human rights, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by migrant workers, refugees, and stateless populations.
Sharing Perspectives on Statelessness and Nationality Rights
During the sessions, NFA highlighted the unique vulnerabilities of stateless persons and those denied equal nationality rights, emphasising how statelessness intersects with migration and displacement in complex and deeply human ways.
Melinda shared insights on how the denial of nationality can compound other forms of exclusion from limited access to legal protection and documentation, to barriers in education, employment, and mobility. The discussion reinforced the importance of regional cooperation in ensuring that no one is left behind due to their citizenship status.
Building Bridges Across Regions
The forum underscored that many national challenges require cross-border solutions. By facilitating knowledge exchange between East and Southeast Asia, the event strengthened collective understanding and fostered a sense of shared purpose among regional actors working to uphold human rights, dignity, and justice for people on the move.
For Nationality for All, participating in initiatives like this reaffirms the organisation’s commitment to embedding statelessness and the right to nationality within broader regional dialogues on migration, identity, and belonging.
Deepening Partnerships in Taiwan
While in Taiwan for the Cross-Regional Forum, our Programme Coordinator also had the opportunity to meet with partner organisations, including the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.
We were deeply inspired by their impactful work in Taiwan and across the wider region. These meetings provided space to exchange ideas, explore synergies, and identify areas for future collaboration.
NFA looks forward to deepening our partnerships with these organisations to continue advancing the right to nationality and strengthening advocacy for stateless and at-risk communities throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Looking Ahead
As a regional organisation, NFA values opportunities for collaboration that transcend borders and sectors. The insights and partnerships gained through this forum will continue to inform NFA’s advocacy and programme strategies, ensuring that statelessness remains a recognised and urgent issue in regional policy and practice.
