The purpose of this Guide is to provide OSCE participating States with benchmarks for drafting hate crime legislation within a simple, clear and accessible document. While good practices are highlighted and risks identified, a prescriptive approach has been avoided. Hate crimes are specific to their social context, and legislation must recognize this. The Guide assists states wishing either to enact new legislation or to review and improve their current legislation by setting out the major questions to be addressed by legislators; giving examples of drafting choices made by different states; commenting on the implications of different approaches; making recommendations concerning specific aspects of hate crime law, and offering a list of further resources to supplement the information provided.