Tutu and Jolie back UN drive to end statelessness in a decade

Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie backed an ambitious global campaign on Nov. 4 to end the plight of at least 10 million stateless people with no country to call home.

A child is born stateless every 10 minutes, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said as it kicked off the "I Belong" campaign. With no nationality they will grow up to be some of the most invisible and deprived people on the planet.

"Statelessness makes people feel like their very existence is a crime," UNHCR head Antonio Guterres said. "We have a historic opportunity to end the scourge of statelessness within 10 years, and give back hope to millions of people."

Stateless people are denied the rights and benefits most people take for granted. These "legal ghosts" often live in destitution and are at high risk of detention and exploitation, including slavery.

"This is absolutely unacceptable. It is ... an anomaly in the 21st century," Guterres said.

Guterres, Jolie and Tutu are among a host of opinion leaders and celebrities who have signed an open letter calling for "10 million signatures to change 10 million lives."

Others who have signed include Iranian Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi, opera singer Barbara Hendricks, South African musician Hugh Masekela, Afghan-born novelist Khaled Hosseini, author of The "Kite Runner," and model Alek Wek.

"Statelessness can mean a life without education, without medical care, or legal employment ... a life without the ability to move freely, without prospects, or hope. Statelessness is inhumane," the letter says. "We believe it's time to end this injustice."

Statelessness exacerbates poverty, creates social tensions, breaks up families and can...