Human Right #15: The Right to Belong

By Lustitia Aequalis, Ashley T. Martin

Yesterday, the world marked International Day for Tolerance, a reminder that respect for human diversity is the cornerstone of peaceful societies. Tolerance is not about passive acceptance, it is about recognizing that every person, regardless of origin, race, faith, or identity, deserves dignity, safety, and a place to belong.

Tolerance and Human Right #15

Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

“Everyone has the right to a nationality.”

Nationality is more than a legal status; it is the foundation of one's sense of belonging. It determines access to education, healthcare, justice, and participation in civic life. Yet millions remain stateless, their existence unrecognized by any country. Statelessness is the quiet opposite of tolerance: it denies identity itself.

When societies practice intolerance— whether through discriminatory laws, exclusionary citizenship policies, or cultural hostility, they chip away at the right to nationality. A person without nationality lives on the margins, invisible to the systems meant to protect them.

To honor International Day for Tolerance, we must reaffirm the right to inclusion: the right to be seen and counted.

What Tolerance Looks Like in Practice

True tolerance means:

Recognizing difference without exclusion. Every person must have a documented identity and equal standing before the law.

Protecting the stateless and displaced. Governments and international partners must ensure birth registration and prevent arbitrary deprivation of nationality.

Building systems of belonging. Legal frameworks, technology, and rights education should work together to ensure that every person’s existence is acknowledged and safeguarded.

Why It Matters Now

According to UNHCR, over 4.4 million people remain stateless in 2025. This number continues to rise as conflicts, migration, and restrictive citizenship policies expand. Each statistic represents a life suspended outside the circle of rights.

Tolerance is the bridge back into that circle.

At Lustitia Aequalis, our work advances that bridge through advocacy, education, and the Witness App, which empowers people to document, protect, and claim their rights in moments of vulnerability.

Tolerance without inclusion is rhetoric. Inclusion without nationality is impossible. To be tolerant is to ensure that everyone, everywhere, belongs.

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