Laos

In Laos, the Hmong people face discrimination and violence from the government which contributes to lack of birth registration and statelessness. The Hmong people have been subject to ongoing persecution in Laos for years due to their cooperation with the U.S. in the Secret War. Birth registration rates among Hmong-Mien households are particularly low. Laos has received recommendations from the CRC (2015) and civil society organizations to continue and strengthen measures to ensure that all children, including children from Hmong-Mien households, are registered at birth. Civil society submissions to the UPR (2019, 2025) reported on the government attacking Hmong people in the jungles of North Laos, who live in perpetual relocation in order to avoid military attacks and capture. There have also been reports of authorities restricting the movement of the Hmong and refusing to issue them passports. Those who remain undocumented are at risk of being unable to prove their citizenship.