Statefree Blog

Community Voices

Deutsche Version unten Mental health issues within stateless people is a problem that's often overlooked in general because of some clear and unclear reasons. Some of the reasons could be, a stateless person not having access to basic health insurance/care, not having the financial capability or support of buying/paying for prescribed medications needed, the systematic policy pressures of a state (nation) that makes the daily life of a stateless person feel like a non existing being within that same state, like listening to a broken record on repeat. The absence of inclusiveness, the denial of their existence and basic rights as humans, the pain of constant rejection by branches of a state, and to some extent in the social space, can easily lead to a dangerous breaking point that affects emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, at which an unhealthy decline mind is birthed. Mental health shouldn't be kept under the radar because it actually plays a huge role on all individuals and even more so in the life of a stateless person navigating the daily rough seas of policies that's denying their rights as humans. The connection is there, crystal clear to see, even with eyes closed. As the fight for the rights and inclusiveness of stateless people getting citizenship continues, so does the fight to availability of mental health access. *** Psychische Probleme bei Staatenlosen sind ein Problem, das oft übersehen wird, sowohl aus klaren als auch aus unklaren Gründen. Einige der Gründe könnten sein, dass eine staatenlose Person keinen Zugang zu einer grundlegenden Krankenversicherung/Pflege hat, dass sie nicht in der Lage ist, verschriebene Medikamente zu kaufen oder zu bezahlen, und dass der systematische politische Druck eines Staates (einer Nation) dazu führt, dass sich das tägliche Leben einer staatenlosen Person wie ein nicht existierendes Wesen innerhalb desselben Staates anfühlt, als würde man eine kaputte Schallplatte immer wieder hören. Das Fehlen von Inklusion, die Verweigerung ihrer Existenz und ihrer Grundrechte als Menschen, der Schmerz der ständigen Ablehnung durch die staatlichen Behörden und in gewissem Maße auch durch den sozialen Raum kann leicht zu einer gefährlichen Bruchstelle führen, die sich emotional, geistig, körperlich und spirituell auswirkt und eine ungesunde Abwärtsspirale in Gang setzt. Die psychische Gesundheit sollte nicht unter den Tisch fallen, denn sie spielt für alle Menschen eine große Rolle, vor allem aber im Leben eines Staatenlosen, der sich tagtäglich durch die raue See der Politik kämpft, die ihm seine Rechte als Mensch verweigert. Die Verbindung ist da, kristallklar zu sehen, selbst mit geschlossenen Augen. So wie der Kampf für die Rechte und die Einbeziehung staatenloser Menschen in die Staatsbürgerschaft weitergeht, so geht auch der Kampf um den Zugang zu psychischer Gesundheit weiter.

Community Voices

Dear Diary, it's me, Prince Lenny Penaloza... Today, just like every other day, the struggles continue as a stateless person and there's just one sentence to summarise it all, "a visibly horrific, inhumane existence" boosted by several laws and policies in place by the system that deprives me of basic human rights, hence making life literally a living hell. In other words, only who feels it knows it, because the descriptions of existing in such a situation as a stateless person in today's modern world are heart-wrenching. Even in a world where the various levels of systematic breakdowns and further sub-breakdowns of human classifications amongst "the haves and have-nots" are clearly visible – which in itself is a sad reality – being stateless goes further down the inhumane system ladder because it's an existence without existing when you don’t matter or count in regards to having and exercising the basic human rights just like everyone else. Yes, the world, as we know it, revolves around laws and policies set up by governments, policymakers and those that wield political and financial powers; powers that influence and make certain calls which impact the lives of people within a country and even globally. Yet, I keep asking myself why aren't these same people using such immense power to make the right calls that would improve life on a global scale? After all, there's just one earth for all humans, so why make it unbearable and miserable for a vast majority of people and way worse for stateless people like myself? Imagine living without living: You have no freedom of movement; no right to employment; no clear right and share in educational resources; no right to vote; no right to legally get married (if it's something you want to do); no right to full health care, hence depression gets to sink in easily in poor health conditions; your access to social involvement and activities is limited; housing is a problem; your financial hardship is beyond the poverty line, so that you find yourself starving regularly for days which turn into weeks on a monthly basis; you get politically and racially oppressed by rules, including citizenship law and policies that are in place by the government, unfortunately giving some individuals working in the government offices a ground to abuse their power. These are just a few scratches of what many stateless persons like myself have to constantly deal with. Why are those with political power not paying attention, and why are they turning a blind eye towards the issue? Why is the issue not on the top agenda of parliamentarians? Why has nothing concrete been done to create a part where government officials work together with humanitarian activists, NGO's and people experienced in the issue to resolve the problem of Statelessness?... These are just some of the questions that I have on my mind as a stateless person and as someone speaking out on the issue for people to hear, especially those at the back.

Cookie policy

Cookie settings

Mental Health & Statelessness

New Data on Statelessness in Germany: At least every tenth stateless person in Germany was born there

Between Anger & Bitterness: About getting my status recognised and being the “Lagom Swede”

Love and Statelessness: A story about overcoming barriers

UPDATE: Number of stateless people in Germany reaches all-time high

The Statefree Pod is live 🎉

Germany to modernise citizenship law: Deutschland will Einbürgerung erleichtern - auch für Staatenlose?

How NOT to react when somebody tells you they are stateless

“Do politicians even care?”

"The next generation needs to feel like they belong" - Fighting for children’s right to nationality

A goal without a plan is just a wish - How we want to change German law

Statefree and Politics - Time to stand up for our rights!

The first day of the exhibition

Funding opportunities - Time to share our visions and ideas 🙌🏾 !

🇺🇦 Are European countries protecting stateless people from Ukraine?

What does a passport mean to you?

Fleeing from Ukraine as a stateless person

Supporting Stateless people from Ukraine - NGOs in the EU

Where are you from?

How do you define safety?

Owning our stories as stateless persons

Power can be in the eye of the beholder

What makes writing about statelessness so difficult?

Knowledge to Empower

Stuck in Morocco

My Stateless Life