As 2006 drew to a close, the District Officer in Mae Ai, Thailand, approved citizenship applications for 124 villagers who received documentation assistance from IJM throughout the year. This brings the total number of approved citizenship applications to 455 people as a result of IJM’s citizenship documentation work in Thailand in 2006.

Although Thai law provides citizenship rights to some tribal populations who live within Thai borders, citizenship is a practical impossibility for many. Members of Thailand’s hill tribe populations often lack the resources to travel beyond their villages, and they may also face discrimination or language barriers that prevent people from applying for citizenship. Without citizenship papers, people are unable to receive government-subsidized health care, most children are not allowed to attend diploma-granting schools and adults are often kept from working outside their own villages. As a result, young women without an education and employment options are at an increased risk of being trafficked.

IJM works with local NGOs to identify people eligible for citizenship and assist them in the completion and submission of the applications. Through the efforts of IJM and partners, such as the U.S. Department of Labor, over 6,000 children and adults have received citizenship since 2002.

Simla* was one of the many to receive citizenship through IJM’s efforts in 2006, four years after she was rescued from a brothel. When speaking about her citizenship, her translator said that, though there was no direct English translation, Simla’s words were similar in meaning to “how you feel when you win the lottery.” Simla now lives with her husband in Northern Thailand.