A/73/205 meeting of experts, that will incorporate the result of previous work undertaken in this field. IV. Preliminary conclusions and recommendations 51. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the exceptional work being done by UNHCR and a number of Governments to combat statelessness, including positive practices in a few countries that have corrected previous discriminatory denial or deprivation of citizenship affecting some minorities. He is grateful in particular to the many international and regional organizations, national Governments, civil society organizations and individual experts who have responded to his call for submissions and participated in the regional expert consultation held in Bangkok or met him for discussions and consultations in 2017 and 2018. 52. He encourages the international community and other relevant actors, in 2018, to pursue a debate on and examination of the intimate connections between statelessness and the denial or deprivation of citizenship, which mainly affects persons belonging to minorities. 53. The Special Rapporteur calls upon, in particular, States and other interested parties to continue to reflect on statelessness as a minority issue and to participate in his activities to complete the work begun through the present report, including the possible development of a practical guide to avoid citizenship legislation that may run afoul of the four international human rights standards most likely to be involved in practices leading to the statelessness of millions of minorities. 54. The Special Rapporteur believes that efforts must be intensified by all relevant actors, in particular States, if the statelessness of some 10 million individuals, more than three quarters of whom are minorities, is to be tackled effectively. For these reasons, he makes the preliminary recommendations set out below. 55. States have a prerogative to establish laws governing the acquisition, recognition or loss of citizenship, although this is clearly circumscribed by international human rights law. 56. States must not arbitrarily or discriminatorily deny or deprive minorities of citizenship, the main cause of statelessness around the world. 57. The Special Rapporteur reiterates the invitation of the first holder of the mandate of Independent Expert on minority issues to UNHCR and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to undertake a study to reveal the extent to which statelessness is a minority issue globally. This should include, insofar as possible, the collection and analysis of statistical data disaggregated on the basis of gender and ethnic, linguistic and religious c riteria. 58. States must register all children and issue birth certificates immediately after birth. States should also consider registration campaigns and simplify registration requirements, targeting indigenous peoples and nomadic and isolated minority communities, who tend to be excluded or disadvantaged by burdensome or arbitrary requirements, resulting in later difficulty when it comes to demonstrating their nationality. 59. States must grant nationality to all children born on their territory if the child would otherwise be stateless, regardless of the immigration status of the parents. 14/19 18-12048