Home › Explained sheets › Rights and duties
Human dignity
This sheet explains what human dignity means. It also presents the fundamental rights that come from human dignity.
Key points of the sheet
- Human dignity means that every person has value. Each person deserves respect, simply because they are a human being.
- This respect is unconditional, that is, without conditions. Age, sex, health, social condition, religion or ethnic origin do not matter. A human being must never be treated as an object or a means.
- Human dignity is the foundation of all fundamental rights. It is written in the first chapter of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union of 2000, among 5 essential rights.
- Among these rights are human dignity (article 1), the right to life (article 2) and the right to the integrity of the person (article 3).
- There is also the ban on torture and on inhuman or degrading treatment (article 4). Finally, there is the ban on slavery and forced labour (article 5).
- Every person has the right to their physical and mental integrity, whatever their state of health.
- Article 3 of the Charter says that free and informed consent must be respected. The human body cannot be a source of profit: organ trafficking is forbidden.
- Eugenic practices, that is, the selection of genetic heritage, are forbidden. Cloning is also forbidden.
Words to know
- human dignity (dignité humaine)
- It is the fact that every person has value and deserves respect, because they are a human being.
- unconditional respect (respect inconditionnel)
- It is respect without conditions, whatever the age, sex, health, social condition, religion or ethnic origin.
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Charte des droits fondamentaux de l’Union européenne)
- It is a text from 2000. Its first chapter lists human dignity among 5 essential rights.
- right to the integrity of the person (droit à l’intégrité de la personne)
- It is article 3 of the Charter. Every person has the right to their physical and mental integrity.
- free and informed consent (consentement libre et éclairé)
- According to article 3 of the Charter, it must be respected.
- eugenic practices (pratiques eugéniques)
- This means selecting genetic heritage. These practices are forbidden.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Which article of the 2000 Charter bans slavery and forced labour?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel article de la Charte de 2000 interdit l'esclavage et le travail forcé ?
The ban on slavery and forced labour is article 5 of the Charter.
What is the respect owed to every person like?
In French, the language of the exam: Comment est le respect dû à chaque personne ?
Every person deserves unconditional respect, without conditions. Age, religion or origin do not matter.
According to article 3 of the Charter, what must be respected?
In French, the language of the exam: Selon l'article 3 de la Charte, que faut-il respecter ?
Article 3 says that free and informed consent must be respected. Organ trafficking, eugenics and cloning are forbidden.
You have read the sheet. See where you stand with 40 questions like the real exam.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions)Free mock exam · Exam Pass €19 incl. VAT, paid once, no subscription
Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (Fundamental rights)
Source
Sheet “La dignité humaine” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.