Last Change:
05/14/2025
Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE)
Year: 1995
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Asylum, Education, Freedom of movement, Health, Housing, land & property, Liberty & security of person, Nationality & facilitated naturalization, Social protection, Work & Workplace rights, Family life, Documentation
Description
The FDRE Constitution is the supreme law of the land and as such any laws, customary practice, or a decision of an organ of state or a public official should be in line with it. Except a few articles that provide specific rights to Ethiopians, most of the provisions under part two entitles democratic rights for both foreigners and Ethiopians. These rights include the right of thought, opinion and expression, the right of assembly, demonstration and petition, freedom of association, freedom of movement, marital, personal and family rights, right of women, right of children, access to justice. According to article 13(2) of the Constitution, each provision of the constitution on human rights are to be interpreted in accordance to the principles of UDHR, ICCPR and other international instruments adopted by Ethiopia. Further, according to article 9(4) of the Constitution, all international agreements ratified by Ethiopia are an integral part of the law of the land.
Selected provisions
1. Government shall have the duty to formulate policies which ensure that all Ethiopians can benefit from the country's legacy of intellectual and material resources.
2. Government has the duty to ensure that all Ethiopians get equal opportunity to improve their economic conditions and to promote equitable distribution of wealth among them.
3. Government shall take measures to avert any natural and man-made disasters, and, in the event of disasters, to provide timely assistance to the victims.
4. Government shall provide special assistance to Nations, Nationalities, and People least advantaged in economic and social development.
5. Government has the duty to hold, on behalf of the People, land and other natural resources and to deploy them for their common benefit and development.
6. Government shall at all times promote the participation of the People in the formulation of national development policies and programmes; it shall also have the duty to support the initiatives of the People in their development endeavours.
7. Government shall ensure the participation of women in equality with men in all economic and social development endeavours.
8. Government shall endeavour to protect and promote the health, welfare and living standards of the working population of the country.
To the extent the country’s resources permit, policies shall aim to provide all Ethiopians access to public health and education, clean water, housing, food, and social security.