Preventing and addressing violence and atrocities against minorities 2014, para. 32
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As highlighted by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the former Independent Expert on minority issues (A/HRC/7/23, para. 20), denial or deprivation of citizenship and statelessness affects some 15 million people in 49 countries, particularly those belonging to minority groups. Statelessness makes minorities highly vulnerable, with weak protection provided by State authorities who do not recognize them as citizens whose rights must be protected by the State. In some cases, States actively desire their expulsion, which may result in a minimal response to violence against them by other actors, or in State-sponsored persecution with the intent of removing an unwanted minority.