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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishAll people are born free and equal before the law, receive the same protection and treatment from institutions, authorities, and other people and enjoy the same rights liberties and opportunities, without any discrimination for reasons of gender, color, age, disability, nationality, family ties, language, religions, political or philosophical opinion, social or personal condition. Consequently:
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3. The State should promote judicial and administrative conditions so that equality may be real and effective and shall adopt methods to prevent and combat discrimination, marginalization, vulnerability and exclusion;
4. Women and men are equal before the law. Any act that has the objective or result of diminishing or annulling the recognition, enjoyment or exercise of fundamental rights of woman and men in conditions of equality is prohibited.
5. The State should promote and guarantee the equal participation of women and men in candidate lists to the offices of popular election for the instances of guidance and decision in the public sphere, in the administration of justice, and in the State-controlled bodies. (Art. 39) - SpanishTodas las personas nacen libres e iguales ante la ley, reciben la misma protección y trato de las instituciones, autoridades y demás personas y gozan de los mismos derechos, libertades y oportunidades, sin ninguna discriminación por razones de género, color, edad, discapacidad, nacionalidad, vínculos familiares, lengua, religión, opinión política o filosófica, condición social o personal. En consecuencia:
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3) El Estado debe promover las condiciones jurídicas y administrativas para que la igualdad sea real y efectiva y adoptará medidas para prevenir y combatir la discriminación, la marginalidad, la vulnerabilidad y la exclusión;
4) La mujer y el hombre son iguales ante la ley. Se prohíbe cualquier acto que tenga como objetivo o resultado menoscabar o anular el reconocimiento, goce o ejercicio en condiciones de igualdad de los derechos fundamentales de mujeres y hombres. Se promoverán las medidas necesarias para garantizar la erradicación de las desigualdades y la discriminación de género;
5) El Estado debe promover y garantizar la participación equilibrada de mujeres y hombres en las candidaturas a los cargos de elección popular para las instancias de dirección y decisión en el ámbito público, en la administración de justicia y en los organismos de control del Estado. (Art. 39)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe Haitian people proclaim this Constitution:
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To assure to women a representation in the instances of power and of decision which must conform to the equality of the sexes and to equity of gender. (Preamble) - FrenchLe Peuple Haïtien proclame la présente Constitution:
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Pour assurer aux femmes une représentation dans les instances de pouvoir et de décision qui soit conforme à l’égalité des sexes et à l’équité de genre. (Préambule)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Subject to clauses (4), (5) and (7), no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
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3. In this Article the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable, wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, tribe, sex, place of origin, marital status, political opinions, colour or creed whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
4. Clause (1) shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
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e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in clause (3) may be subjected to any disability or restriction or may be accorded any privilege or advantage which, having regard to its nature and to special circumstances pertaining to those persons or to persons of any other such description is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.
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Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the State shall take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them.
2. Laws, cultures, customs and traditions which are against the dignity, welfare or interest of women or any other marginalised group to which clause (1) relates or which undermine their status, are prohibited by this Constitution.
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5. Parliament shall make laws for the purpose of giving full effect to this article. (Art. 32)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
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Statutes shall promote equal access by women and men to elective offices and posts as well as to position of professional and social responsibility. (1958 Constitution, Art. 1) - French…
La loi favorise l'égal accès des femmes et des hommes aux mandats électoraux et fonctions électives, ainsi qu'aux responsabilités professionnelles et sociales. (Constitution 1958, Art. 1er)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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The State recognizes the economic, social, cultural, political, and environmental dimension of the peasantry, as well as any other dimensions that may be acknowledged. It will ensure the protection, respect, and guarantee of their individual and collective rights, with the aim of achieving material equality from a gender, age, and territorial perspective. ...
Peasants [campesinos], both men and women, are free and equal to all other populations,
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El Estado reconoce la dimensión económica, social, cultural, política y ambiental del campesinado, así como aquellas que le sean reconocidas y velará por la protección, respeto y garantía de sus derechos individuales y colectivos, con el objetivo de lograr la igualdad material desde un enfoque de género, etario y territorial, ...
Los campesinos y las campesinas son libres e iguales a todas las demás poblaciones
... (Art. 64)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
3. Women shall have the right to participate equally with men in public life.
4. All levels of government shall:
a. promote women participation in public life and their representation in the legislative and executive organs by at least twenty-five per cent2 as an affirmative action to redress imbalances created by history, customs, and traditions;
… (Art. 16)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. There shall be established by the President of the Republic a Commission to be known as National Constitutional Review Commission within six months from coming into force of this constitution.
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5. The Commission shall be established with due regard for gender, political, social and regional diversity of South Sudan in recognition of the need for inclusiveness, transparency and equitable participation. Each member of the Commission shall have the requisite competence and technical expertise and experience to contribute to fulfilling the mandate of the Commission.
… (Art. 202)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law.
(2) For the avoidance of any doubt, a person shall not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(3) For the purposes of this section, “discriminate” means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, birth, tribe, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(4) Subject to the provisions of subsection (5) Parliament shall not be competent to enact a law that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(5) Nothing in this section shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are necessary for implementing policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational or other imbalances in society. (Sec. 20)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Anything done or omitted which would otherwise constitute a breach of any of the provisions of this Part3 shall not constitute such a breach if—
(a) it is done or omitted in good faith for the purpose of assisting or advancing persons or groups of persons, being in each case persons against whom discrimination is unlawful by virtue of this Part; and
(b) those persons or groups need or may reasonably be supposed to need assistance or advancement in order to achieve an equal place with other members of the community.
(2) Nothing in this Part—
(a) limits the power of the Crown to establish or arrange work or training schemes or employment assistance measures, eligibility for which may, in whole or in part, be determined by a person's age, employment status, or family status; or
(b) makes it unlawful for any person to recruit or refer any other person who is of a particular age or of a particular employment status or of a particular family status for any work or training scheme or employment assistance measure that is established or arranged by the Crown, the eligibility for which may, in whole or in part, be determined by a person's age, employment status, or family status. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 73)