There is never a humanitarian solution for a humanitarian crisis. The solutions for the humanitarian crisis are always political ones.
Antonio GuterresRead
Stateless people are hidden. During the 2011 refugee crises, it was obvious that people were fleeing Somalia and Libya - there was a lot of international attention. Statelessness goes undetected because stateless people are in legal limbo and are afraid to show up.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Stateless individuals often face immense challenges and remain invisible to society and authorities.
In this quote, Antonio Guterres highlights the plight of stateless people, who exist in a state of legal uncertainty and fear. Unlike refugees from certain countries, stateless individuals often go unnoticed and lack essential rights or protections, making their suffering more difficult to acknowledge and address in the public discourse.
Themes
StatelessnessHuman RightsInvisibilityRefugeesProtection
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on the refugee crisis, one might use this quote to emphasize the plight of stateless individuals.
More from Antonio Guterres
All quotes →As a global society, we have the technology, resources and the know-how to make a massive difference to living standards everywhere, including for refugees.
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The world's problems transcend borders.
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Humanitarian response, sustainable development, and sustaining peace are three sides of the same triangle.
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The fact that societies are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious is good. Diversity is a strength, not a weakness.
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Syria has become the great tragedy of this century - a disgraceful humanitarian calamity with suffering and displacement unparalleled in recent history.
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