Rights of people to access their wealth

 

Since it was founded in 1986, France Libertés has been working for the recognition of human rights around the world.
France Libertés supports the struggles of oppressed peoples, of minorities unrepresented by states, whose voices are not heard.

The historical struggles led by France Libertés have been in favour of ethnic minorities (Chechens, Kurds, Touaregs, Quechuas, Roma, Karen people, Tibetans, Mayas, Fula…). It is essential to defend the right of people to make their own political choices in the face of  authoritarian forms of government.  France Libertés is also very attached to safeguarding these peoples’ culture, collective memory and economic development, as well as their right to have control over their own natural resources.

With consultative status at the UN Human Rights Council, France Libertés can share its tribune with peoples wishing to denounce states refusing to recognize their political, civil, social and cultural rights. We also support field projects to help oppressed people.  For example we have supported the rebuilding of Cambodia’s educational system, brought medical assistance to Burmese refugees in Bangladesh, helped build health centres in Nepal and brought humanitarian aid to Iraqi Kurdistan…).

In a changing world of social and environmental conflict, France Libertés gives priority to the rights of indigenous peoples to have control over their own wealth, in the face of today’s dominant system which destroys their natural resources, cultures and traditional ways of life.

 In that perspective, we have three main focuses:
– We support alternative types of development in harmony with nature and based on the principles of “buen vivir”.
– We work to strengthen and protect those peoples and their knowledge as guardians of biodiversity, humanity’s common heritage.
– We relay the universal messages of peoples in our modern world, as a source of inspiration bringing humanistic to our development model.

 The projects we support in our “Rights of peoples” program aim at protecting peoples’ collective rights to have control over their wealth.  We have backed innovative community actions aiming at preserving and defending their natural and cultural heritage, as well as promoting in our societies a better understanding of alternative visions of the world.