Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas (DHRRA), Malaysia

DHRRA Malaysia (Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas) is a community-based organization dedicated to empowering marginalized communities in Malaysia through development initiatives, social protection, evidence-based advocacy, and awareness efforts. For over two decades, DHRRA has been at the forefront of addressing statelessness in Malaysia through its Mapping and Registration exercise. The organization has assisted more than 20,000 individuals in submitting citizenship applications, while also identifying gaps in laws and policies that contribute to statelessness in the country. This work is facilitated by its dedicated community-based paralegals. DHRRA’s ongoing advocacy efforts, in collaboration with various stakeholders, have successfully reduced statelessness in West Malaysia, influenced education policies that allow stateless Malaysian families access to public schools, and most recently, advocated againts the ongoing Citizenship Bill 2024, which includes regressive amendments that threaten to perpetuate childhood and intergenerational statelessness.

In Action