Sustainable Development presents new opportunities to frame statelessness as a development issue and to address it as such, as a number of the Sustainable Development Goals are directly relevant to the prevention and reduction of statelessness.4 The overarching objective of the 2030 Agenda to “leave no one behind” has particular relevance for those who are stateless or lack proof of legal identity and are at risk of statelessness, as too often they are among the furthest left behind. The UN should tackle both the causes and consequences of statelessness as a key priority within the Organization’s broader efforts to strengthen the rule of law and promote human rights. Given the magnitude and complexity of the problem and the damaging impact on human lives, efforts would need to be redoubled to prevent statelessness and to address statelessness wherever it occurs. The UN, particularly UNHCR, needs to provide leadership in this regard and work with States, international and regional organizations, and non-governmental organizations. This Guidance Note outlines guiding principles and a policy framework for action to address statelessness, including concrete activities to be undertaken and required institutional arrangements. A. GUIDING PRINCIPLES UN engagement in addressing statelessness should be guided by a number of principles that support the development, promotion and implementation of international norms relating to statelessness. The policy framework set forth below enunciates this set of guiding principles and is the result of an assessment of international legal standards and the experience of the UN in addressing statelessness to date. 1. Base action on international norms and standards related to nationality and statelessness Internationally agreed rules relating to the prevention and reduction of statelessness and standards of treatment of stateless persons address many of the challenges faced by stateless individuals. Such rules are provided by an interrelated set of norms found in two international conventions on statelessness, a range of standards contained in universal and regional human rights and other instruments, and customary international law.5 The prerogative of States to determine the rules for acquisition, change and loss of nationality is framed by international law, in particular human rights law. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 15) establishes the universal right of every individual to a nationality, a right which has been reaffirmed by a number of universal and regional human rights instruments, including the American Convention on Human Rights (article 20) and the European Convention on Nationality (article 4). As a corollary to this right, States must make every effort to avoid statelessness through legislative, administrative and other measures. Moreover, international law, including the universal prohibition against discrimination on account of race, colour, or national or ethnic origin as enunciated in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial 4 For more information see The Sustainable Development Goals and Addressing Statelessness, March 2017, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/58b6e3364.html. 5 An overview of the international legal framework is provided in UN Human Rights Council, Human rights and arbitrary deprivation of nationality: report of the Secretary-General, 14 December 2009. 2009, A/HRC/13/34, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b83a9cb2.html. -4-