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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.
ABOUT 1367 RESULTS
National Human Rights Bodies
Dominican Republic
- EnglishThe essential function of the Defender of the People is to contribute to safeguard the fundamental rights of people and the collective and diffuse interests established in this Constitution and the law, in case of their being violated by officials or organs of the State, by lenders of public or individual services that affect collective and diffuse interests. The law shall regulate that which is related to its organization and functioning. (Art. 191)
- SpanishLa función esencial del Defensor del Pueblo es contribuir a salvaguardar los derechos fundamentales de las personas y los intereses colectivos y difusos establecidos en esta Constitución y las leyes, en caso de que sean violados por funcionarios u órganos del Estado, por prestadores de servicios públicos o particulares que afecten intereses colectivos y difusos. La ley regulará lo relativo a su organización y funcionamiento. (Art. 191)
National Human Rights Bodies
Papua New Guinea
- EnglishThe purposes of the establishment of the Ombudsman Commission are-
(a) to ensure that all governmental bodies are responsive to the needs and aspirations of the People; and
(b) to help in the improvement of the work of governmental bodies and the elimination of unfairness and discrimination by them; and
(c) to help in the elimination of unfair or otherwise defective legislation and practices affecting or administered by governmental bodies; and
(d) to supervise the enforcement of Division III.2 (leadership code). (Sec. 218)
National Human Rights Bodies
Angola
- English1. The Ombudsman shall be an independent public body whose purpose shall be to defend the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens ensuring, by informal means, the justice and legality of the public administration.
2. The Ombudsman and Deputy Ombudsman shall be elected by the National Assembly on the decision of two thirds of Members in full exercise of their office.
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4. Citizens and corporate bodies may present the Ombudsman with complaints concerning acts or omissions by public authorities which they shall consider, with no powers of decision, submitting the necessary recommendations for the prevention and remedying of injustices to the appropriate bodies.
5. The activity of the Ombudsman shall be independent of the means for ruling on appeals or disputes provided for in the Constitution and the law.
6. It shall be the duty of public administration bodies and agents, citizens and other public collective bodies to cooperate with the work of the Ombudsman.
… (Art. 192) - Portuguese1. O Provedor de Justiça é uma entidade pública independente que tem por objecto a defesa dos direitos, liberdades e garantias dos cidadãos, assegurando, através de meios informais, a justiça e a legalidade da actividade da Administração Pública.
2. O Provedor de Justiça e o Provedor de Justiça-Adjunto são eleitos pela Assembleia Nacional, por deliberação de maioria absoluta dos Deputados em efectividade de funções.
...
4. Os cidadãos e as pessoas colectivas podem apresentar à Provedoria de Justiça queixas por acções ou omissões dos poderes públicos, que as aprecia sem poder decisório, dirigindo aos órgãos competentes as recomendações necessárias para prevenir e reparar as injustiças.
5. A actividade do Provedor de Justiça é independente dos meios graciosos e contenciosos previstos na Constituição e na lei.
6. Os órgãos e agentes da administração pública, os cidadãos e demais pessoas colectivas públicas têm o dever de cooperar com o Provedor de Justiça na prossecução dos seus fins.
... (Art. 192)
National Human Rights Bodies
Togo
- EnglishA National Commission of the Rights of Man is created. It is independent. It is only subject to the Constitution and to the law.
The composition, the organization and the functioning of the National Commission of the Rights of Man are established by an organic law. (Art. 152) - FrenchIl est créé une Commission Nationale des Droits de l’Homme. Elle est indépendante. Elle n’est soumise qu’à la Constitution et à la loi.
La composition, l’organisation et le fonctionnement de la Commission Nationale des Droits de l’Homme sont fixés par une loi organique. (Art. 152)
National Human Rights Bodies
Sri Lanka
- English(1) Parliament shall by law provide for the establishment of the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) charged with the duty of investigating and reporting upon complaints or allegations of the infringement of fundamental rights and other injustices by public officers and officers of public corporations, local authorities and other like institutions, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of such law.
(2) The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) shall, subject to the approval of the Constitutional Council, be appointed by the President and shall hold office during good behaviour.
… (Art. 156)6 - Sinhala(1) පරිපාලන කටයුතු පිළිබඳ පාර්ලිමේන්තු කොමසාරිස් (ඔම්බුඩ්ස්මන්) ධුරය ඇති කිරීම සඳහා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව විසින් නීතියෙන් විධිවිධාන සැලැස්විය යුත්තේ ය. රජයේ නිලධරයන් විසින් සහ රාජ්ය සහ සංස්ථාවල, පළාත් පාලන ආයතනවල හා එවැනි වෙනත් ආයතනවල නිලධරයන් විසින් සිදු කරනු ලබන මූලික අයිතිවාසිකම් උල්ලංඝනය කිරීම සහ වෙනත් අසාධාරණ ක්රියා ගැන කරනු ලබන පැමිණිලි හෝ චෝදනා ඒ නීතියේ විධිවිධානවලට අනුකූලව හා යටත්ව පරීක්ෂා කර බලා වාර්තා කිරීමේ කාර්යභාරය පරිපාලන කටයුතු පිළිබඳ පාර්ලිමේන්තු කොමසාරිස්වරයා වෙත පැවරෙන්නේ ය.
(2) පරිපාලන කටයුතු පිළිබඳ පාර්ලිමේන්තු කොමසාරිස්වරයා (ඔම්බුඩ්ස්මන්) ජනාධිපතිවරයා විසින්, ආණ්ඩුක්රම ව්යවස්ථා සභාවේ අනුමතයට යටත්ව පත්කරනු ලැබිය යුත්තේ ය. එම කොමසාරිස්වරයා යථා පැවැත්මෙන් සිටින තාක් ස්වකීය ධූරය දැරිය යුත්තේ ය.
… (156 වැනි වගන්තිය)
National Human Rights Bodies
Guyana
- English(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (6), every person, as contemplated by the respective international treaties set out in the Fourth Schedule to which Guyana has acceded is entitled to the human rights enshrined in the said international treaties, and such rights shall be respected and upheld by the executive, legislature judiciary and all organs and agencies of Government and, where applicable to them, by all natural and legal persons and shall be enforceable in the manner hereinafter prescribed.
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(4) If any person alleges that any of the rights referred to in paragraph (1), has been, is being or is about to be contravened in relation to him or her, then, without prejudice to any other action with respect to the same matter which is lawfully available, that person may apply to the Human Rights Commission in such manner as the Commission may prescribe, for redress.
… (Art. 154A)
National Human Rights Bodies
Mexico
- English…
B. The Congress of the Union and the legislatures of the federative entities within the domain [ámbito] of their respective competencies, will establish organs of protection of the human rights that the Mexican juridical order protects [ampara], those that will take cognizance of complaints [quejas] against the acts or omissions of a nature of administrative provenance of any public authority or servant, with the exception of those of the Judicial Power of the Federation, that violate those rights.
The organs [organismos] to which the previous paragraph refers, shall formulate public recommendations, non-binding, [and] denouncements and complaints [quejas] before the respective authorities. Any public servant is obligated to respond to the recommendations that these organs [organismos] present. When the enacted recommendations are not accepted[,] or complied with[,] by the public authorities or servants, they must substantiate, motivate and make public their refusal [negativa]; additionally, the Chamber of Senators or in its recesses the Permanent Commission, or the legislatures of the federative entities, as it corresponds, may summon [llamar], at the request of these organs [organismos], the public authorities or servants responsible to appear before these legislative organs, to the effect of explaining the motive for the refusal.
These organs [organismos] will not be competent concerning electoral and jurisdictional matters.
The organs [organismo] that the Congress of the Union establishes will be denominated the Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos [National Commission of Human Rights]; it will have autonomy of management and budgetary [autonomy], juridical personality and its own patrimony.
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The National Commission of Human Rights will have a Consultative Commission composed of twelve councilors that will be elected by the vote of the two-thirds part of the members present of the Chamber of Senators or, in its recesses, by the Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Union, with the same qualified vote.
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The National Commission of Human Rights shall take cognizance of the non-conformities that are presented to it concerning the recommendations, agreements or omission of the equivalent organs [organismos] in the federative entities.
The National Commission of Human Rights may investigate acts that constitute grave violations of human rights, when it so judges [as] appropriate or [when] the Federal Executive, either of the Chambers of the Congress of the Union, the titular [members] of the executive powers of the federative entities or the Legislatures of these require it. (Art. 102) - Spanish…
B. El Congreso de la Unión y las legislaturas de las entidades federativas, en el ámbito de sus respectivas competencias, establecerán organismos de protección de los derechos humanos que ampara el orden jurídico mexicano, los que conocerán de quejas en contra de actos u omisiones de naturaleza administrativa provenientes de cualquier autoridad o servidor público, con excepción de los del Poder Judicial de la Federación, que violen estos derechos.
Los organismos a que se refiere el párrafo anterior, formularán recomendaciones públicas, no vinculatorias, denuncias y quejas ante las autoridades respectivas. Todo servidor público está obligado a responder las recomendaciones que les presenten estos organismos. Cuando las recomendaciones emitidas no sean aceptadas o cumplidas por las autoridades o servidores públicos, éstos deberán fundar, motivar y hacer pública su negativa; además, la Cámara de Senadores o en sus recesos la Comisión Permanente, o las legislaturas de las entidades federativas, según corresponda, podrán llamar, a solicitud de estos organismos, a las autoridades o servidores públicos responsables para que comparezcan ante dichos órganos legislativos, a efecto de que expliquen el motivo de su negativa.
Estos organismos no serán competentes tratándose de asuntos electorales y jurisdiccionales.
El organismo que establezca el Congreso de la Unión se denominará Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos; contará con autonomía de gestión y presupuestaria, personalidad jurídica y patrimonio propios.
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La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos tendrá un Consejo Consultivo integrado por diez consejeros que serán elegidos por el voto de las dos terceras partes de los miembros presentes de la Cámara de Senadores o, en sus recesos, por la Comisión Permanente del Congreso de la Unión, con la misma votación calificada.
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La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos conocerá de las inconformidades que se presenten en relación con las recomendaciones, acuerdos u omisiones de los organismos equivalentes en las entidades federativas.
La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos podrá investigar hechos que constituyan violaciones graves de derechos humanos, cuando así lo juzgue conveniente o lo pidiere el Ejecutivo Federal, alguna de las Cámaras del Congreso de la Unión, los titulares de los poderes ejecutivos de las entidades federativas o las Legislaturas de éstas. (Art. 102)
National Human Rights Bodies
Colombia
- EnglishThe Defender of the People will see to the promotion, the exercise, and the diffusion of human rights, for which he will exercise the following functions:
1. Orientating and instructing the inhabitants of the national territory and the Colombians abroad in the exercise and defense of their rights before the competent authorities or entities of a private character.
2. Disseminating the human rights and recommending the policies for teaching them.
3. Invoking the right of Habeas Corpus and interposing actions of protection [tutela], without prejudice to the right which corresponds [asiste] to interested [persons].
4. Organizing and directing the public defense in the terms that the law specifies.
5. Interposing popular actions in matters related to his competence.
6. Presenting Bills of law on matters relating to his competence.
7. Rendering reports to the Congress on the fulfillment of his functions.
8. The others that the law determines. (Art. 282) - SpanishEl Defensor del Pueblo velará por la promoción, el ejercicio y la divulgación de los derechos humanos, para lo cual ejercerá las siguientes funciones:
1. Orientar e instruir a los habitantes del territorio nacional y a los colombianos en el exterior en el ejercicio y defensa de sus derechos ante las autoridades competentes o entidades de carácter privado.
2. Divulgar los derechos humanos y recomendar las políticas para su enseñanza.
3. Invocar el derecho de Habeas Corpus e interponer las acciones de tutela, sin perjuicio del derecho que asiste a los interesados.
4. Organizar y dirigir la defensoría pública en los términos que señale la ley.
5. Interponer acciones populares en asuntos relacionados con su competencia.
6. Presentar proyectos de ley sobre materias relativas a su competencia.
7. Rendir informes al Congreso sobre el cumplimiento de sus funciones.
8. Las demás que determine la ley. (Art. 282)
National Human Rights Bodies
Paraguay
- English[The following] are duties and attributions of the Defender of the People:
1. to receive and to investigate denunciations, complaints and claims against violations of the human rights and other acts that this Constitution and the law establish;
2. to request from the authorities at their various levels, including those of the police organs and those of security in general, information for the better exercise of his functions[;] he may not be opposed by any reserve. He may have access to the places where the commission of such acts are denounced. It is also of his competence to act ex officio;
3. to issue [emitir] [a] public censure for acts or behaviors contrary to the human rights;
4. to annually report concerning his management [gestiones] to the Chambers of the Congress;
5. to prepare and to divulge reports on the situation of human rights that, in his opinion, require prompt public attention, and
6. the other duties and attributions that the law establishes. (Art. 279) - SpanishSon deberes y atribuciones del Defensor del Pueblo:
1. recibir e investigar denuncias, quejas y reclamos contra violaciones de los derechos humanos y otros hechos que establecen esta Constitución y la ley.
2. requerir de las autoridades en sus diversos niveles, incluyendo los de los órganos policiales y los de seguridad en general, información para el mejor ejercicio de sus funciones, sin que pueda oponérsele reserva alguna. Podrá acceder a los sitios donde se denuncie la comisión de tales hechos. Es también de su competencia actuar de oficio;
3. emitir censura pública por actos o comportamientos contrarios a los derechos humanos;
4. informar anualmente de sus gestiones a las Cámaras del Congreso;
5. elaborar y divulgar informes sobre la situación de los derechos humanos que, a su juicio, requieran pronta atención pública, y
6. los demás deberes y atribuciones que fije la ley. (Art. 279)
National Human Rights Bodies
Malawi
- English1. The office of the Ombudsman may investigate any and all cases where it is alleged that a person has suffered injustice and it does not appear that there is any remedy reasonably available by way of proceedings in a court or by way of appeal from a court or where there is no other practicable remedy.
2. Notwithstanding subsection (1), the powers of the office of the Ombudsman under this section shall not oust the jurisdiction of the courts and the decisions and exercise of powers by the Ombudsman shall be reviewable by the High Court on the application of any person with sufficient interest in a case the Ombudsman has determined. (Sec. 123)