French Human Rights Commission Warns of Evolving Racism and Cultural Prejudice

Prejudices such as the physical and moral inferiority of minorities, the pseudo-cultural arguments intended to establish an incompatibility between the values and customs of certain "races" with the Republic still exist. The CNCDH, in the latest edition of its annual report on the situation in France in the fight against racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia, published on June 18, is sounding the alarm.

Today, indirectly, pseudo-cultural arguments, such as: Islam, immigration, the French social protection, research predominate. They are observed in a subtle way in the workplace, particularly in the private and public administration, reports Le Monde. According to the report, black people are more subject to these forms of discrimination, mainly in the professional field.

On the justice side, the CNCDH records an increase in racist acts and speeches in 2019, according to statistics collected from public security actors. Regarding racist cases, the report highlights a rate of 16%, more than twice the average (7%) in cases of attacks on the person. The CNCDH also pays particular attention to online hatred. It recommends that the French State equip itself with an independent regulatory authority, which would be responsible for preventing and responding quickly and appropriately to hate speech on the Internet.