News

Stateless person Gennady gets his first document in the Republic of Kazakhstan soon

Stateless persons or persons with undetermined nationality find themselves in an unusual situation. Many Kazakh citizens do not even know that the procedures and public services such as birth registration, education, medical care, or marriage may not be accessible by individuals who lack identity documents. Unfortunately, many people around us face these problems.

In the framework of the Joint UN-Government Project “Expanding the opportunities of the Mangystau region in achieving sustainable development and socio-economic modernization”, UNHCR assists stateless persons and persons with undetermined nationality to confirm their citizenship and obtain identity documents.

Gennady, an undocumented person from Zhanaozen town of Mangystau region is one of the persons assisted. At the age of nine Gennady and his father arrived in Kazakhstan from Ukraine. Soon after that Gennady’s father deceased and the boy was struggling to survive. At the age of 18, Gennady approached the authorities of Kazakhstan with an application for identity card and a passport. However, he could not get them, because he did not have any document except the confirmation of his father’s death. Gennady is 32 years old, of which 14 years he spent in the attempts to prove his existence by obtaining an identity document. Gennady is an odd-worker, he works as a loader, DJ, a car washer, he is not afraid to take any job. The man dreams of buying a house for his family of four: he has a wife and two children. Gennady believes that he can handle any work, because his father has brought him up with an idea that whatever you do, do your best. However, it is not easy to find a job, the employers require him to submit an identity document and other papers that Gennady does not have.

In mid-2015, being tired of fruitless attempts to find any solution, Gennady approached journalists and later Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law (KIBHR), UNHCR’s Partner in Aktau city of Kazakhstan. Referring to those days Gennady smiled: “My case has finally moved from the dead point, and it twirled.” KIBHR lawyers studied Gennady’s case and assisted him to apply for the status of a stateless person in Kazakhstan. It was most difficult to obtain a certificate from the Embassy of Ukraine confirming that Gennady was not a citizen of Ukraine. KIBHR lawyers took the lead: they approached the Embassy of Ukraine in Astana and negotiated the issue of necessary certificates. Gennady had to wait for six months to get a response from the Embassy of Ukraine, during which the man was planning his new life. When the certificate confirming that he was not a citizen of Ukraine was ready, Gennady spent one month to gather all necessary documents to apply for the status of a stateless person in Kazakhstan. Two month ago, Gennady submitted all necessary documents required by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan to obtain the statelessness status, which will be his first identity document.

While waiting for the decision on his case, Gennady shares his thoughts, plans and dreams. The man states that once the document is issued, he will enrol in the Information Technologies training; until then, Gennady is taking the online courses. Gennady is also planning to take some cooking classes, as he is keen on cooking and has some working experience in the field. The man believes that both jobs will allow him to have flexible working schedule and to combine different tasks. Gennady adds: “When I have citizenship, I will start my own business in Zhanaozen. I would like to open my own café, where all guests will be served delicious food.” Gennady believes that with the identity document that he will receive very soon, he will start a new chapter of his life.