The Consequences of Statelessness Statelessness and discrimination in access to citizenship and identity documents has a strong negative impact on the ability of individuals and groups to enjoy respect for their other human rights, and to participate fully in the economic, social and political life of a country. Nationality is an entry point to access other rights and is described as “the right to have rights”. Without a nationality, a stateless person is vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination, and cannot exercise their rights to health care, to education, to freedom of movement, to work or to vote. Even opening a bank account, signing a lease agreement, obtaining social assistance or being able to get married can prove impossible for a stateless person.