Thousands of children in Cyprus remain stateless, the commissioner for children’s rights has said.
The commissioner’s office revealed findings and recommendations, focusing on the denial of citizenship for children of Cypriot parents when the second parent is a third-country national with illegal status.
Around 3,500 such applications are pending, leaving some children stateless for years, according to commissioner Despo Michaelidou.
One example is a child who has lived in Cyprus since she was three months old and completed all levels of state schooling, yet her application has been pending since 2008, leaving her unable to pursue higher education.