Right to Nationality and Citizenship Network · India
Defending the Right to Belong
Citizenship in all countries should be natural human right of people who have generational links to the country and children born there. No one deserves to live without a nationality and the political, social and economic safeguards that come along with it.
The Right to Nationality and Citizenship Network (RNCN) India has come together to raise awareness and facilitate debate, discussion, documentation and research on issues related to nationality, arbitrary deprivation of nationality, protection of minorities, migrant workers and other poor who may not have access to adequate documentation to prove their citizenship.
We attempt to bridge the gap between the harsh reality of statelessness in India and the policy framework through short- and long-term advocacy campaigns with state and non-state actors, collection and tabulation of critical data, and production of resources for relevant stakeholders in the policy ecosystem.
Advocacy
Make appeals to the government to reform policies and uphold the basic rights of all individuals living in India, irrespective of their nationality through evidence-based interventions.
Documentation
Collect quantitative and qualitative empirical data on citizenship exclusion, detentions and other related parameters through field surveys.
Research
Produce and collate resources for public awareness and academic research on citizenship and nationality issues for deeper and broader understanding of the challenges amongst all stakeholders.
Vital Stats
- 42
- Detained in Assam as "Declared Foreign Nationals (DFN)"
- 86,756
- Declared Foreigners in Assam (2015-20)
- 1.9million
- Excluded from Assam NRC
- 779
- Released from detention on bail (till Sep 2022)
All data from Government of India parliamentary submissions and publications.
Recent Event
‘Together We Can’ Report Launch & Webinar | Statelessness in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic
29 July 2021
Short Documentary
Assam’s Released Stateless Detainees During COVID-19 Pandemic
In Assam, those released from detention centres lead a truncated life, under a multi-layered regime of marginalisation. This creates a unique form of statelessness that prevents individuals from leading a full and dignified life with adequate political, social and economic safeguards.
This short documentary – ‘Assam’s Released Stateless Detainees During COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Exclusion, Deprivation and Loss of Lives in Families’ – is based on interviews with released detainees in Assam, offers a glimpse into the broken lives of some of the frontline victims of the state’s citizenship determination regime.
Latest Publication
Marginalised and Impoverished in Assam
January 2021
A study into the exclusion of those at risk of statelessness in COVID-19 responses and social security provisions.
Read moreOngoing Campaign
Viral Exclusions
This campaign calls for inclusive social security and COVID-19 response in Assam, focusing on those declared foreigners by Foreigners Tribunals or delisted in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Learn more