Engagement with the HRC
Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions
Extreme poverty, situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic, safety of journalists, youth, arbitrary detention, situation of human rights in Eritrea, situation of human rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, situation of human rights in Belarus, freedom of religion or belief, situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, situation of human rights in Myanmar, situation of human rights in Belarus in the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, rights of the child, situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, death penalty, extreme poverty, enforced disappearances, situation of human rights in Eritrea,
Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Voting record
Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, France has either voted in favour of or joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention) and country-specific resolutions under item 2 (reports by the High Commissioner). For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the occupied Palestinian Territories), France generally either votes in favour or abstains (almost equally). Nonetheless, it voted against two item 7 texts in 2008 and 2010 on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian Territories. On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), France has joined consensus on all resolutions except three dealing with cooperation with Ukraine (with France voting in favour) and one dealing with technical cooperation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2009, France abstained). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, France has mainly either voted in favour or joined consensus. Resolutions that it usually (or always) votes against include resolutions on the right to peace, effects of terrorism on human rights, and drones. France abstained on the 2014 resolution on the integrity of the judicial system, the 2015 resolution on the regulation of firearms, and the 2008 text on the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social, and cultural rights, where there have been votes on such texts, France has tended to abstain or vote against. Exceptions include France voting in favour of resolutions on the right to development and the right to water and sanitation.
HRC participation
During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:
0
Regional
group statements
Average of statements for all countries: 76
1
Subregional
group statements
Average of statements for all countries: 47
365
Political group
statements
Average of statements for all countries: 109
86
Cross-regional
group statements
Average of statements for all countries: 84
11
Other joint
statements
Average of statements for all countries: 5
HRC member empty chair?
Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.
Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments
Specific voluntary pledges: 4
France presented its voluntary pledges for election to the Council for the term 2021-2023 early in 2020. In the document, France pledged and committed to:
- Combat all forms of inequality, and to this end, strengthen international efforts to end violence and discrimination against women and promote economic, social, and cultural rights to fight inequality through new projects on corporate social responsibility, human rights, and the environment, the right to water and sanitation, the fight against climate change, and the Global Pact for the Environment; combat racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and hate speech; Defend and promote the rights of LGBTI persons and support resolutions and mandates on sexual orientation and gender identity; Continue to work on the promotion and protection of the rights of children and combat the use of children in armed conflict.
- Protect fundamental freedoms, and to this end ensure the safety of journalists and the right to reliable information, including by combating the manipulation of information; Fight enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention, and promote the universal abolition of the death penalty.
- Help people who promote human rights supporting human rights defenders and civil society and fighting impunity for crimes against them.
An analysis of steps taken by France in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that France indeed sponsored or supported resolutions in all the thematic areas mentioned. France has ratified all core human rights treaties, submitted all its periodic reports to the Treaty Bodies, and has accepted seven individual communications procedures. Regarding cooperation with Special Procedures, France has responded to only 37% of the communications received and facilitated 60% of visit requests. Specifically regarding the thematic areas included in its pledges, France is yet to complete visits from, among others, the mandate holders on extreme poverty and water and sanitation.
Cooperation with international human rights system
Most overdue report