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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.
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
2. Subject to the provisions of subsection (6), no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
3. In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status 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. Subsection (1) shall not apply to any law to the extent that that law makes provision—
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b. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters which is the personal law of persons of that description; or
c. for the application of the customary law of Lesotho with respect to any matter in the case of persons who, under that law, are subject to that law; or
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e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be made subject 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.
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the making of laws in pursuance of the principle of State Policy of promoting a society based on equality and justice for all the citizens of Lesotho and thereby removing any discriminatory law.
5. Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards of qualifications (not being standards of qualifications specifically relating to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status) to be required of any person who is appointed to any office in the public service, any office in a disciplined force, any office in the service of a local government authority or any office in a body corporate established by law for public purposes.
6. Subsection (2) shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorised to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or (5).
7. No person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner in respect of access to shops, hotels, lodging houses, public restaurants, eating houses, beer halls or places of public entertainment or in respect of access to places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of public funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.
8. The provisions of this section shall be without prejudice to the generality of section 19 of this Constitution. (Sec. 18)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWe, representative of the Dominican people, freely and democratically elected, assembled in the National Revisory Assembly, … propelled by the selfless work of our men and women, ruled by the supreme values and the fundamental principles of human dignity, liberty, equality, the rule of law, justice, solidarity, and fraternal coexistence, social well-being, ecological equilibrium, progress and peace, essential factors for social cohesion, we declare our desire to promote the unity of the Dominican Nation, for which in an exercise of our free determination we adopt and proclaim the following (Preamble)
- SpanishNosotros, representantes del pueblo dominicano, libre y democráticamente elegidos, reunidos en Asamblea Nacional Revisora; … estimulados por el trabajo abnegado de nuestros hombres y mujeres; regidos por los valores supremos y los principios fundamentales de la dignidad humana, la libertad, la igualdad, el imperio de la ley, la justicia, la solidaridad, la convivencia fraterna, el bienestar social, el equilibrio ecológico, el progreso y la paz, factores esenciales para la cohesión social; declaramos nuestra voluntad de promover la unidad de la Nación dominicana, por lo que en ejercicio de nuestra libre determinación adoptamos y proclamamos la siguiente (Preámbulo)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishSociety in the Syrian Arab Republic shall be based on the basis of solidarity, symbiosis and respect for the principles of social justice, freedom, equality and maintenance of human dignity of every individual. (Art. 19)
- Arabicيقوم المجتمع في الجمهورية العربية السورية على أساس التضامن والتكافل واحترام مبادئ العدالة الإجتماعية والحرية والمساواة وصيانة الكرامة الإنسانية لكل فرد. (المادّة 19)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWE HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE that, subject to any restrictions imposed by law on noncitizens, all persons in our country are entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever their race, tribe, places of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the legitimate public interest, to each of the following:-
(a) … the protection of the law;
… (Preamble, Basic Rights)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English…
2. The State shall take all necessary measures for the realization of the right to development. Such measures shall include, amongst other things, equality of opportunity for all … (Sec. 30)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWE, THE GUYANESE PEOPLE,
… proclaim this Constitution in order to:
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Celebrate our cultural and racial diversity and strengthen our unity by eliminating any and every form of discrimination;
… (Preamble)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
...
All citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have equal rights and freedoms, and shall be equal before the law, without discrimination by sex, race, nationality, language, religion, social origin, convictions and social status.
Any privileges shall be granted solely by the law and must conform to the principles of social justice. (Art. 19) - Uzbek
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O‘zbekiston Respublikasida barcha fuqarolar bir xil huquq va erkinliklarga ega bo‘lib, jinsi, irqi, millati, tili, dini, e’tiqodi, ijtimoiy kelib chiqishi, ijtimoiy mavqeyidan qat’i nazar, qonun oldida tengdirlar.
Imtiyozlar faqat qonunga muvofiq belgilanadi va ijtimoiy adolat prinsiplariga mos bo‘lishi shart. (19-modda)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
Justice is founded on the principles of legality and of equality.
… (Art. 165) - Arabic
يقوم القضاء على أساس مبادئ الشّرعيّة والمساواة.
… (المــادة 165) - French
La justice est fondée sur les principes de légalité et d'égalité.
… (Art. 165)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) All persons shall be equal before the law.
(2) No persons may be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status. (Art. 10)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
The unconditional equality of all Nicaraguans in the enjoyment of political rights[,] is established; in the exercise of them and in the fulfillment of their duties and responsibilities, [there] exists absolute equality between the man and the woman.
It is the obligation of the State to eliminate the obstacles that impede the actuality [hecho] of equality among Nicaraguans and their effective participation in the political, economic and social life of the country. (Art. 48) - Spanish
Se establece la igualdad incondicional de todos los nicaragüenses en el goce de sus derechos políticos; en el ejercicio de los mismos y en el cumplimiento de sus deberes y responsabilidades, existe igualdad absoluta entre el hombre y la mujer.
Es obligación del Estado eliminar los obstáculos que impidan de hecho la igualdad entre los nicaragüenses y su participación efectiva en la vida política, económica y social del país. (Art. 48)