By NHRI mandate
By topic
Enabling environment for HRDs & CSOs
Environmental HRDs
Freedom of assembly and association
Freedom of expression
Freedom of the media
Funding of CSOs
Non-government controlled territories
Prohibition of discrimination
Protection of HRDs
Right to a fair trial
Right to an effective remedy
Right to privacy
Right to respect for private and family life
Sustainable Development Goals
Whistleblowers
Women HRDs
By country
The French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) takes specific actions to protect civil society space and human rights defenders (HRDs), including by issuing recommendations and opinions.
On World Human Rights Defenders’ Day in 2023, CNCDH published its “Opinion on Human Rights Defenders”. This underscored the need for a robust protection framework and the development of a national action plan for HRDs. It also praised HRDs’ essential role in ensuring the effectiveness of human rights.
In September 2025, CNCDH issued a dedicated opinion on civic space. This highlighted ongoing threats to freedom of assembly, rising surveillance of protesters, the stigmatisation of activism, and insufficient consultation with CSOs.
The French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), in partnership with the French government, local authorities, NGOs and other key human rights actors, supports the Marianne Initiative. Each year, the Initiative awards a group of around 15 human rights defenders (HRDs) who have distinguished themselves by their fight for fundamental rights in their country of origin. The laureates are selected by a committee of independent experts. The Initiative consists of a six-month programme of support and training, including individual and collective activities that allow HRDs to share their experiences, strengthen their capacity, increase the visibility of their struggles, and develop new projects. The personalised programme brings participants into contact with the main actors involved in the human rights field. This includes the state, elected officials, local authorities, NGOs, independent judicial and administrative authorities, and representatives of international organisations. It also supports the development of their activist project. Through these different activities, the programme aims to strengthen the effectiveness of their work.
Every year, the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) awards the French Republic Human Rights Prize (Prix des droits de l’Homme de la République française « Liberté – Égalité – Fraternité ») to women and men, defenders who act daily in the field for the promotion and effective protection of human rights. The prize’s 37th edition in 2024, which coincided with the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions adopted in 1949, decided to reward projects working on the protection of the rights of civilians in situations of armed conflict. The winners were: Mandela Center International (Cameroon); La Société des droits de l’homme Ezgulik (Uzbekistan); L’Organisation des Citoyens pour une Nouvelle Haïti (Haiti); Ludirlena Pérez Carvajal (Colombia); and Cesar (Syria).
In February 2025, the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) adopted a comprehensive opinion titled “Combatting Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs)” (“Lutter contre les procédures bâillons”). This recommended that a broad and protective definition of SLAPPs be included in French law, covering all national cases and including civil and criminal proceedings. It also identified (further) ways to combat SLAPPs from both public and private actors.
French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights
The French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights has addressed issues related to human rights defenders and civil society in many of its opinions and declarations. In its September 2021 statement on the situation facing Afghan people, the NHRI stressed that human rights defenders, as well as all Afghan people, at risk of persecution by the Taliban and who wish to seek asylum in France must be able to benefit from protection.