It is the idea that some belong but others do not, some have value but others do not, some are equal but others are not. Engaging minds, challenging stereotypes and dismantling structural discrimination is a long-term project. Statelessness will not end with accession to a convention or the passing of a law – important though these may be. Change will neither be fast, nor easy. We must remain committed. Crucially, we must scrutinise our own roles – as individuals, institutions, communities – in concentrating power and perpetuating exclusion. 2. Root causes are historical, but they are also ongoing The statelessness of most minority communities is linked to particular moments in history. The dissolution of the states, Independence from colonial powers, the requirement to register as citizens of newly formed countries, the passing of discriminatory nationality laws, wars and displacement have all generated statelessness among minorities world over. Over years, decades, generations, where these root causes have not been addressed, the statelessness of these communities has been entrenched and perpetuated. And so I ask; what is the root cause of the statelessness of a child born today? Is it an incident in 1962 or is it a failure to protect the child’s right to a nationality in 2018? UNHCR estimates that every 10 minutes a child is born stateless. Every 10 minutes, another root cause is added to our very long list. 3. We have the tools at our disposal. Perhaps we lack the imagination and commitment to use them Human rights law is comprehensive, principled, reasonable and nuanced enough to protect the rights of minorities and the right to a nationality. The UN Sustainable Development Agenda is sufficiently ambitious and rooted in human rights principle, to reach the furthest behind and ensure legal identity and nationality for all. Our generation of world shapers has at our disposal, a collective wisdom, norms, mechanisms and tools that has been built over generations. We need to be bolder in how we use them. We need to be more committed, creative, courageous and collaborative.