Number of Stateless Children in Singapore and Measures to Help Them
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the status and support of stateless children in Singapore, as raised by Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim. Minister for Home Affairs Mr K Shanmugam stated that there were 20 such individuals under age 18 as of December 2023 and noted Singapore’s reservation to Article 7 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. He clarified that citizenship is not automatic but based on criteria like conduct and family links, while parental responsibility lies with guardians unless statutory protection is necessary. Stateless children can access mainstream education and healthcare through family MediSave or subsidies, though those who are Permanent Residents receive standard residency benefits. While non-Permanent Residents cannot buy or rent flats directly, they may live as occupiers in eligible households, with the Housing and Development Board assisting those in genuine need.
Transcript
25 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how many children under the age of 12 currently living in Singapore are stateless; (b) how many young people aged between the ages of 12 and 18 currently living in Singapore are stateless; (c) whether any person or entity in Singapore has legal parental responsibility for these children and young people; and (d) if so, who are they.
26 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs in respect of stateless children and young people under 18 years old living in Singapore, how does Singapore meet its obligations under Article 7 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which provides that every child has the right to be registered immediately after birth, to have a name and nationality subject to national law and obligations under the relevant international instruments.
27 Assoc Prof Razwana Begum Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to stateless children and young people under 18 years old living in Singapore, what services, support or programmes are available to ensure that the child or young person has access to suitable (i) accommodation, (ii) healthcare and (iii) education.
Mr K Shanmugam: Like many other countries, Singapore does not automatically grant citizenship to a child just by virtue of the child being born here.
Our Constitution automatically confers Singapore citizenship on children born in Singapore to married parents, when at least one parent is a Singapore Citizen (SC). If the child is born to foreign parents, we do not automatically confer citizenship and would assess any citizenship application alongside all other applications.
Applications for Singapore citizenship are evaluated on a range of criteria. These include the conduct and contributions of the applicant, links to Singapore, including if they have family members who are Singaporeans, and how long they have been in Singapore. The circumstances under which the person became stateless would also be taken into consideration.
Because of our policy on citizenship, we have made a reservation to Article 7 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which the Member asked about.
As of 31 December 2023, there were seven stateless persons under the age of 12, and 13 were between the ages of 12 and 18. This constitutes 2.3% of the total number of stateless persons in Singapore. Their circumstances vary, but one reason is being born in Singapore to foreign parents who did not obtain citizenship of their country for their child. It is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians to take care of the child’s well-being, including obtaining citizenship for their child.
However, if a child or young person has no parent or caregiver willing or able to provide care or guardianship in Singapore, they may be provided with statutory protection under the Children and Young Persons Act.
In terms of access to healthcare, education and housing, stateless persons who are Permanent Residents (PRs) are treated no differently from other PRs. For stateless persons who are not PRs, they can access the following services.
For healthcare, the MediSave of their SC or PR family members can be used. Stateless children and young persons under the state's care can also access healthcare subsidies through the Medical Fee Exemption Card. They can also approach the healthcare institution’s medical social workers.
For education, stateless students may enrol in our mainstream schools and tertiary institutions, subject to meeting the admission criteria. Stateless students can approach the schools for school-based assistance. They can also approach social service agencies for advice on the financial assistance available to them.
For housing, stateless persons who are not PRs cannot buy or rent a flat from the Housing and Development Board (HDB). However, they can live in an HDB flat as an occupier if they are part of an SC or PR family that is eligible to buy or rent a flat. For those who face genuine housing difficulties and have no other housing options, HDB will work with the relevant agencies like the Ministry of Social and Family Development to assess how best to assist them.