Human Rights

In France, the founding document concerning human rights is its Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of August 26^th, 1789. It states in its first article that:

"Men are born and remain free and equal in rights"

The Declaration was the first act of a movement that has never ceased since to take shape and develop throughout the continents.

The international community, through institutions such as the United Nations, the International Labour Organisation and the European Union, contributes continuously to the reinforcement of the respect of human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of December 10^th, 1948 is one such example.

France has signed and ratified the majority of international treaties, notably those relating to the fight against human trafficking, and the respect of the rights of women and children. Some examples include:

• Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (1949)
• Convention relating to the Status of Refugees (1951)
• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (1983)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Trans-national Organised Crime to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking of Persons, especially Women and Children (2000).

France has signed the European Council Convention on action against trafficking in Human Beings in May 2005.

• The Declaration of the Peking World Conference on Women (1995)
• The Conventions of the International Labour Organisation
• The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union

These agreements have not spared France from being confronted with the problem of human trafficking. Trafficking cannot be disassociated from an increasing globalisation of the economy, significant ideological upheavals at the end of the 20^th century such as the collapse of the Soviet bloc, increasing poverty in Third World counties, and ethnic and religious conflicts. The corollary of this is the mass displacement of certain populations that flee misery, war, and the absence of a positive future. France is one of the destination countries for these people who are seeking better lives.

The implication of the French State's involvement human trafficking has occurred only recently. The country's issues relate to controlling migratory flux and dealing with problems of public order, both of which undermine decision-making that benefits victims of trafficking. This is not the case for organised crime, the suppression of which generally has more positive results.

NGOs and non-profit organisation are continuously acting to preserve the fundamental rights of the victims of human trafficking.