An overview of the hardships faced by refugee children is
presented. Granting citizenship for children born as refugees is propo-
sed based on three lines of arguments: the meaning of citizenship and
avoidance of statelessness, the child’s best interest, and the prevention
of children in a protracted refugee situation. Within this framework, three
recent initiatives to address refugee ́s challenges are debated: the New
York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, the Global Compact, and
the Model International Mobility Convention. Finally, three possible me-
asures are suggested to implement citizenship for those born as refu-
gees: An optional protocol on the Convention of the Rights of the Child,
an optional protocol to the Convention Relating to the Status of Refu-
gee, or else that States, while adopting the Model International Mobility
Convention, expressly assure the right to citizenship for those born as
refugees. The Latin-American States are prone to lead the call for a right
to citizenship for those born as refugees since birthright citizenship is
adopted by nearly every State in Latin-America.
