I. Introduction acquisition or confirmation of nationality. This number does not include persons at risk of statelessness. Statelessness has dire consequences for the affected individuals and groups. Being stateless often limits access to birth registration, identity documentation, education, health care, legal employment, property ownership, political participation, and freedom of movement. Denial of these rights affects not only the individuals concerned but also their families and society as a whole, specifically because excluding an entire sector of the population may significantly impair efforts to promote economic and social development, create social tension, and fuel conflict. Moreover, statelessness may lead to displacement, including forced displacement, in particular where it results from mass arbitrary denial or deprivation of nationality, putting stateless persons further at risk. For these reasons, OSCE participating States are encouraged to redouble their efforts to address statelessness and to capitalize on the assistance available from OSCE executive structures, UNHCR and other UN agencies, regional bodies and civil society. This Handbook is intended to be a practical tool to help OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, as well as OSCE Institutions and field staff: — understand the effects of statelessness and the scale of the problem; — get acquainted with the legal framework surrounding statelessness; — comprehend the key issues of identification, prevention, reduction of statelessness and protection of stateless persons; — identify stateless persons and those at risk of becoming stateless; — know which concrete steps to take to tackle statelessness; and — liaise with UNHCR, ODIHR, HCNM, and other specialized agencies that can assist authorities in their endeavours to eradicate statelessness. This Handbook also contains good practice examples from the OSCE area, where participating States have taken the initiative – sometimes together with international organizations and local partners, including civil society – to effectively address statelessness on their territories. Some 10