This paper focuses on individual statelessness, a phenomenon experienced by an estimated 10 million people globally. International law and conventions, such as the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, interact with national and regional instruments to address the phenomenon around the world. Despite Côte d'Ivoire's ratification of these conventions in 2013, approximately 700,000 individuals in the country remain without legal citizenship. Limited resources and political will significantly hamper the effective implementation of protective measures for stateless individuals. This study therefore seeks to address the question: How do legal frameworks at the national, regional, and international levels construct or undermine the protection of stateless individuals in Côte d'Ivoire, and what might this reveal about the contested nature of borders, citizenship, and identity in postcolonial Africa? An extensive review of international, regional, national legal documents and reports published between 1960 and 2018. I argue that the multiplicity of regulatory frameworks creates what I call a mirage of protection for stateless individuals, where rights are proclaimed but remain largely inaccessible. Ultimately, the findings suggest that a multidisciplinary, inclusive approach (bridging legal reform, regional cooperation, and socio-political advocacy) is essential for addressing statelessness and fostering genuine belonging in Côte d'Ivoire and beyond.
Aimee Watkins (2026) studied this question.