| COTE D'IVOIRE Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Republique de Cote d'Ivoire Joined United Nations: 20 September 1960 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Updated 26 January 2013 |
TITLE I: FREEDOMS, RIGHTS, AND DUTIES
CHAPTER 1: Freedoms and Rights
Article 1
The state of Côte d’Ivoire shall recognise the freedoms, fundamental rights and duties set out in this Constitution and undertake to adopt
the legislative or regulatory measures that are needed to ensure their effective application.
Article 2
The individual is sacred. All human beings are born free and equal before the law. They enjoy inalienable rights, namely the right to life,
freedom, the development of their personality and respect for their dignity. The rights of the individual are inviolable. Public authorities
have the obligation to respect, protect and promote the individual. Any sanction leading to the deprivation of human life is forbidden.
Article 3
Slavery, forced labour, inhuman and cruel, degrading and humiliating treatment, physical or moral torture, physical violence and mutilation
and all forms of debasement of the individual are forbidden and shall be punished by the law.
Article 4
A person’s home shall be inviolable. Any intrusions or restrictions may only be carried out by law.
Article 5
The family constitutes the basic unit of the society. The state shall ensure its protection.
Article 6
The State shall ensure the protection of children, the aged and the handicapped.
Article 7
Every individual shall have the right to develop fully his or her personality materially, intellectually and spiritually. The State shall ensure
that all citizens have equal access to health, education, culture, information, professional training and employment. The state shall have the
duty to safeguard and promote national values of civilisation as well as cultural traditions that are not in conflict with the law or good
moral standards.
Article 8
The state as well as regional and local authorities shall have the duty to see to the development of the youth. They shall create conditions
favourable to the civic and moral education of the youth and ensure their protection against exploitation and moral neglect.
Article 9
Freedom of thought and expression, notably freedom of conscience, religious or philosophical opinion, shall be guaranteed to all, subject
to respect for the law, the rights of others, national security and public order.
Article 10
Everyone shall have the right to express and disseminate freely his or her ideas. All propaganda aimed at or having the effect of making
one social group superior to another or encouraging racial or religious hatred, is forbidden.
Article 11
The law shall guarantee the freedom of assembly and demonstration.
Article 12
No Ivorian may be forced into exile. Any person persecuted because of his political, religious, or philosophical convictions, or for his or
her ethnic identity may enjoy the right of asylum in the territory of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, provided that he or she conforms to the
laws of the Republic.
Article 13
Political parties and groups may form and exercise their activities freely, provided they respect the laws of the Republic and the principles
of national sovereignty and democracy. They shall have equal rights and shall be subject to the same obligations. Parties and groups
created on regional, denominational, tribal, ethnic or racial grounds are forbidden.
Article 14
Political parties and groups shall compete in the formation the will of the people and in the expression of suffrage.
Article 15
The right of property shall be guaranteed to all. No one may be deprived of his property, unless it is for public benefit and on condition
that just and prior compensation is made.
Article 16
The right of every citizen to engage in free enterprise shall be guaranteed within the limits provided for by law.
Article 17
Any person shall have the right to choose freely his or her profession or employment. Access to public or private employment shall be
equal for all. Any discrimination in the access to or exercise of employment, based on sex or on political, religious or philosophical
opinion, is prohibited.
Article 18
The right to form and join trade unions and the right to strike shall be accorded to workers in the public and private sectors, who shall
exercise these rights within the limits determined by law.
Article 19
The right to a healthy environment shall be accorded to all.
Article 20
Every person shall have the right to free and equal access to justice.
Article 21
No one may be prosecuted, arrested, detained, held in police custody or charged, except by virtue of a law previously promulgated
concerning the acts of which he or she is accused.
Article 22
No one may be arbitrarily detained. Any accused person shall be presumed innocent until his or her culpability has been established
following a procedure offering him or her guarantees indispensable to his or her defence.
CHAPTER 2: Duties
Article 23
Every person living in the national territory shall be required to respect the Constitution, the laws and regulations of the Republic.
Article 24
The defence of the nation and of territorial integrity shall be the duty of every Ivorian. It shall be ensured exclusively by the forces of
defence and national security under conditions determined by law.
Article 25
Public assets shall be inviolable. Every person shall be required to respect and protect them.
Article 26
Every citizen, invested with a public mandate or entrusted with public employment or with a public service mission, shall have the duty to
carry it out conscientiously, with loyalty and probity.
Article 27
Everyone shall be obliged to discharge his or her fiscal obligations, in conformity with the law.
Article 28
It shall be the duty of the community and of every individual and legal entity to protect the environment and promote the quality of life.
CHAPTER 1: Freedoms and Rights
Article 1
The state of Côte d’Ivoire shall recognise the freedoms, fundamental rights and duties set out in this Constitution and undertake to adopt
the legislative or regulatory measures that are needed to ensure their effective application.
Article 2
The individual is sacred. All human beings are born free and equal before the law. They enjoy inalienable rights, namely the right to life,
freedom, the development of their personality and respect for their dignity. The rights of the individual are inviolable. Public authorities
have the obligation to respect, protect and promote the individual. Any sanction leading to the deprivation of human life is forbidden.
Article 3
Slavery, forced labour, inhuman and cruel, degrading and humiliating treatment, physical or moral torture, physical violence and mutilation
and all forms of debasement of the individual are forbidden and shall be punished by the law.
Article 4
A person’s home shall be inviolable. Any intrusions or restrictions may only be carried out by law.
Article 5
The family constitutes the basic unit of the society. The state shall ensure its protection.
Article 6
The State shall ensure the protection of children, the aged and the handicapped.
Article 7
Every individual shall have the right to develop fully his or her personality materially, intellectually and spiritually. The State shall ensure
that all citizens have equal access to health, education, culture, information, professional training and employment. The state shall have the
duty to safeguard and promote national values of civilisation as well as cultural traditions that are not in conflict with the law or good
moral standards.
Article 8
The state as well as regional and local authorities shall have the duty to see to the development of the youth. They shall create conditions
favourable to the civic and moral education of the youth and ensure their protection against exploitation and moral neglect.
Article 9
Freedom of thought and expression, notably freedom of conscience, religious or philosophical opinion, shall be guaranteed to all, subject
to respect for the law, the rights of others, national security and public order.
Article 10
Everyone shall have the right to express and disseminate freely his or her ideas. All propaganda aimed at or having the effect of making
one social group superior to another or encouraging racial or religious hatred, is forbidden.
Article 11
The law shall guarantee the freedom of assembly and demonstration.
Article 12
No Ivorian may be forced into exile. Any person persecuted because of his political, religious, or philosophical convictions, or for his or
her ethnic identity may enjoy the right of asylum in the territory of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, provided that he or she conforms to the
laws of the Republic.
Article 13
Political parties and groups may form and exercise their activities freely, provided they respect the laws of the Republic and the principles
of national sovereignty and democracy. They shall have equal rights and shall be subject to the same obligations. Parties and groups
created on regional, denominational, tribal, ethnic or racial grounds are forbidden.
Article 14
Political parties and groups shall compete in the formation the will of the people and in the expression of suffrage.
Article 15
The right of property shall be guaranteed to all. No one may be deprived of his property, unless it is for public benefit and on condition
that just and prior compensation is made.
Article 16
The right of every citizen to engage in free enterprise shall be guaranteed within the limits provided for by law.
Article 17
Any person shall have the right to choose freely his or her profession or employment. Access to public or private employment shall be
equal for all. Any discrimination in the access to or exercise of employment, based on sex or on political, religious or philosophical
opinion, is prohibited.
Article 18
The right to form and join trade unions and the right to strike shall be accorded to workers in the public and private sectors, who shall
exercise these rights within the limits determined by law.
Article 19
The right to a healthy environment shall be accorded to all.
Article 20
Every person shall have the right to free and equal access to justice.
Article 21
No one may be prosecuted, arrested, detained, held in police custody or charged, except by virtue of a law previously promulgated
concerning the acts of which he or she is accused.
Article 22
No one may be arbitrarily detained. Any accused person shall be presumed innocent until his or her culpability has been established
following a procedure offering him or her guarantees indispensable to his or her defence.
CHAPTER 2: Duties
Article 23
Every person living in the national territory shall be required to respect the Constitution, the laws and regulations of the Republic.
Article 24
The defence of the nation and of territorial integrity shall be the duty of every Ivorian. It shall be ensured exclusively by the forces of
defence and national security under conditions determined by law.
Article 25
Public assets shall be inviolable. Every person shall be required to respect and protect them.
Article 26
Every citizen, invested with a public mandate or entrusted with public employment or with a public service mission, shall have the duty to
carry it out conscientiously, with loyalty and probity.
Article 27
Everyone shall be obliged to discharge his or her fiscal obligations, in conformity with the law.
Article 28
It shall be the duty of the community and of every individual and legal entity to protect the environment and promote the quality of life.
Little is known of early Cote d'Ivoire settlement but evidence suggests society existed as
early as 8,500 BCE. French missionaries first made contact with coastal tribes around 1637
at what was known as Gold Coast. Akan tribes invaded and occupied the region in the early
18th century and the French signed treaties in 1843 and 1844 with local kingdoms and
named Cote d'Ivoire a French Protectorate. It became a French Colony on 10 March 1893.
After establishing border with Liberia and Gold Coast (Ghana) a war of pacification was
waged which was not completed until 1915. It was named a constituent unit of the
Federation of French Africa in 1904 and became an autonomous republic within the French
Community in December 1958. Independence was achieved with the promulgation of a
constitution on 7 August 1960. Democracy reigned for nearly 40 years until a coup on 24
December 1999. It was quickly restored with the promulgation of the present constitution
which was adopted 24 July 2000. Human rights are enumerated beginning with Title I
(Freedoms, Rights and Duties), conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of which Cote d'Ivoire is a signatory and are detailed below. For a full English
translation of Cote d'Ivoire's Constitution, click here.
early as 8,500 BCE. French missionaries first made contact with coastal tribes around 1637
at what was known as Gold Coast. Akan tribes invaded and occupied the region in the early
18th century and the French signed treaties in 1843 and 1844 with local kingdoms and
named Cote d'Ivoire a French Protectorate. It became a French Colony on 10 March 1893.
After establishing border with Liberia and Gold Coast (Ghana) a war of pacification was
waged which was not completed until 1915. It was named a constituent unit of the
Federation of French Africa in 1904 and became an autonomous republic within the French
Community in December 1958. Independence was achieved with the promulgation of a
constitution on 7 August 1960. Democracy reigned for nearly 40 years until a coup on 24
December 1999. It was quickly restored with the promulgation of the present constitution
which was adopted 24 July 2000. Human rights are enumerated beginning with Title I
(Freedoms, Rights and Duties), conform with the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of which Cote d'Ivoire is a signatory and are detailed below. For a full English
translation of Cote d'Ivoire's Constitution, click here.