Conscious of their liberty and national identity, of their responsibility before history and humanity;. Conscious of their ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, and desirous to build one nation unified in solidarity and prosperous;.
Convinced that union with respect for diversity assures economic progress and social well-being;. Proclaims its adherence to the rights and freedoms as defined in the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Man of and in the African Charter of the Rights of Man and of Peoples of ;. Expressing its attachment to democratic values recognized to all, the free people, notably:. Committed to the promotion of regional and sub-regional integration, in view of the constitution of African Unity,.
Gives freely and solemnly as the fundamental law this Constitution adopted by Referendum. All human beings are born free and equal before the law. They enjoy the inalienable rights which are the right to life, to liberty, to the full realization of their personality and to the respect of their dignity. The rights of the human person are inviolable. The public authorities have the obligation to assure the respect, the protection and the promotion of them. Any punishment leading to the deprivation of human life is forbidden.
Slavery, forced labor, inhuman and cruel, degrading and humiliating treatment, physical or moral torture, physical violence and mutilation and all forms of debasement of the human being, are forbidden and punished by the law. The domicile is inviolable. Infringements or restrictions can only be determined by the law. The family constitutes the basic unit of the society. The State assures its protection. Every human being has the right to the development and to the full realization of his personality in the material, intellectual and spiritual dimensions.
The State assures to all citizens equal access to health, to education, to culture, to information, to professional formation and to employment. The State has the duty to safeguard and to promote the national values of civilization as well as the cultural traditions not contrary to the law and to good morals. The State and the Public Collectivities have the duty to see to the development of youth.
