A/HRC/RES/26/14 Acknowledging that incidents of discriminatory deprivation of nationality, including without clear legislative basis or for which a legislative basis was exceptionally created, have been a source of widespread suffering and statelessness in the past, Noting that some of the situations mentioned above remain unresolved to this day and have led to intergenerational statelessness, which affects the children and grandchildren of those originally deprived of their nationality, Recalling that arbitrarily depriving a person of his or her nationality may lead to statelessness, and in this regard expressing concern at various forms of discrimination against stateless persons that may violate the obligations of States under international human rights law, Emphasizing that the human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons whose nationality may be affected by State succession must be fully respected, 1. Reaffirms that the right to a nationality of every human person is a fundamental human right enshrined in, inter alia, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 2. Reiterates that arbitrary deprivation of nationality, especially on discriminatory grounds such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status is a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms; 3. Also reiterates that the prevention and reduction of statelessness are primarily the responsibility of States, in appropriate cooperation with the international community; 4. Calls upon all States to refrain from taking discriminatory measures and from enacting or maintaining legislation that would arbitrarily deprive persons of their nationality on grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, especially if such measures and legislation render a person stateless; 5. Urges all States to adopt and implement nationality legislation with a view to avoiding statelessness, consistent with the principles of international law, in particular by preventing arbitrary deprivation of nationality and statelessness as a result of State succession; 6. Notes that the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms of an individual might be impeded as a result of arbitrary deprivation of nationality, and that such individuals are placed in a situation of increased vulnerability to human rights violations; 7. Expresses its concern that persons arbitrarily deprived of nationality may be affected by poverty, social exclusion and limited legal capacity, which have an adverse impact on their enjoyment of relevant civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, in particular in the areas of education, housing, employment, health and social security; 8. Reaffirms that every child has the right to acquire a nationality, and recognizes the special needs of children for protection against arbitrary deprivation of nationality; 9. Stresses that children deprived of nationality and stateless children are at greater risk of particular forms of human rights violations, such as trafficking and other forms of exploitation; 10. Urges all States to prevent statelessness through legislative and other measures aimed at ensuring that all children are registered immediately after birth and have the right to acquire a nationality and that individuals do not become stateless thereafter; 3