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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.
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National Human Rights Bodies
Guyana
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of this article, the Ombudsman may investigate any action taken by any department of Government or by any other authority to which this article applies, or by the President, Ministers, officers or members of such a department or authority, being action taken in exercise of the administrative functions of that department or authority.
(2) The Ombudsman may investigate any such action as aforesaid in any of the following circumstances, that is to say -
(a) if a complaint in respect of the action is duly made to the Ombudsman by any person or body or persons, whether incorporated or not alleging that the complainant has sustained injustice in consequence of a fault in administration;
(b) if the President, a Minister or a member of the National Assembly requests the Ombudsman to investigate the action on the ground that a person or body of persons specified in the request has or may have sustained such injustice;
(c) in any other circumstances in which the Ombudsman considers that he ought to investigate the action on the ground that some person or body of persons has or may have sustained such injustice.
(3) The Ombudsman shall not investigate under this Subtitle -
(a) any action in respect of which the complainant has or had -
(i) a remedy by way of proceedings in a court; or
(ii) a right of appeal, reference or review to or before an independent and impartial tribunal other than a court; or
(b) any such action, or action taken with respect to any such matter, as is excluded from investigation under article 193:
Provided that the Ombudsman -
(i) may conduct an investigation notwithstanding that the complainant has or had a remedy by way of proceedings in a court if satisfied that in the particular circumstances it is not reasonable to expect him to take or to have taken such proceedings;
(ii) shall not in any case be precluded from conducting an investigation in respect of any matter by reason only that it is open to the complainant to apply to the High Court for redress under article 153(1) (which relates to redress for contraventions of provisions for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms).
… (Art. 192)
National Human Rights Bodies
Spain
- EnglishAn organic act shall regulate the institution of the Defender of the People (Defensor del Pueblo) as high commissioner of the Cortes Generales, appointed by them to defend the rights contained in this Part; for this purpose he or she may supervise the activity of the Administration and report thereon to the Cortes Generales. (Sec. 54)
- SpanishUna ley orgánica regulará la institución del Defensor del Pueblo, como alto comisionado de las Cortes Generales, designado por éstas para la defensa de los derechos comprendidos en este Título, a cuyo efecto podrá supervisar la actividad de la Administración, dando cuenta a las Cortes Generales. (Art. 54)
National Human Rights Bodies
Trinidad and Tobago
- English...
(5) Notwithstanding subsection (4) the Ombudsman—
…
(b) is not in any case precluded from investigating any matter by reason only that it is open to the complainant to apply to the High Court for redress under section 14 (which relates to redress for contravention of the provisions for the protection of fundamental rights). (Sec. 94)
National Human Rights Bodies
Vanuatu
- English1. The Ombudsman may enquire into the conduct of any person or body to which this Article applies –
a. upon receiving a complaint from a member of the public (or, if for reasons of incapacity, from his representative or a member of his family) who claims to have been the victim of an injustice as a result of particular conduct;
b. at the request of a Minister, a member of Parliament, of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs or of a Local Government Council; or
c. of his own initiative.
2. This Article shall apply to all public servants, public authorities and ministerial departments, with the exception of the President of the Republic, the Judicial Service Commission, the Supreme Court and other judicial bodies.
3. The Ombudsman may request any Minister, public servant, administrator, authority concerned or any person likely to assist him, to furnish him with information and documents needed for his enquiry.
… (Art. 62) - French1) Le Médiateur peut enquêter sur les agissements de tout fonctionnaire ou autorité publique:
a) sur plainte d'un membre du public ou, en cas d'incapacité, de son représentant ou d'un membre de sa famille, qui prétend avoir été victime d'une injustice à l'occasion de l'agissement incriminé;
b) à la demande d'un ministre, d'un membre du Parlement, du Conseil des Chefs Malvatumauri ou d'un conseil provincial; ou
c) de sa propre initiative.
2) Le présent article s'applique à l'ensemble des fonctionnaires, des autorités publiques et des départements ministériels, à l'exception du Président de la République, de la Commission de la Magistrature, de la Cour Suprême et des autres juridictions.
3) Le Médiateur peut demander à tout ministre, fonctionnaire, membre d'une administration ou à toute autre autorité concernée, ainsi qu'à toute personne susceptible de l'éclairer, de lui fournir les informations et documents nécessaires à la poursuite de son enquête.
... (Art. 62)
National Human Rights Bodies
Egypt
- EnglishAny violation of personal freedom, or the sanctity of the private life of citizens, or any other public rights and freedoms which are guaranteed by the Constitution and the Law is a crime. The criminal and civil lawsuit arising of such crime shall not abate by prescription. The affected party shall have the right to bring a direct criminal action.
The State shall guarantee fair compensation for the victims of such violations. The National Council for Human Rights may file a complaint with the Public Prosecution of any violation of these rights, and it may intervene in the civil lawsuit in favor of the affected party at its request. All of the foregoing is to be applied in the manner set forth by Law. (Art. 99) - Arabicكل اعتداء على الحرية الشخصية أو حرمة الحياة الخاصة للمواطنين، وغيرها من الحقوق والحريات العامة التي يكفلها الدستور والقانون، جريمة لا تسقط الدعوى الجنائية ولا المدنية الناشئة عنها بالتقادم،وللمضرور إقامة الدعوى الجنائية بالطريق المباشر.
وتكفل الدّولة تعويضا عادلا لمن وقع عليه الاعتداء، وللمجلس القومى لحقوق الإنسان إبلاغ النيابة عن أيّ انتهاك لهذه الحقوق، وله أن يتدخّل في الدّعوى المدنية منضماً إلي المتضرّر بناء على طلبه، وذلك كلّه على الوجه المبيّن بالقانون. (المادّة 99)
National Human Rights Bodies
Guinea
- EnglishThe Independent National Institution of Human Rights is given the charge of promoting and protecting the human rights. (Art. 146)
- FrenchL'Institution nationale indépendante des droits humains est chargée de la promotion et de la protection des droits humains. (Art. 146)
National Human Rights Bodies
Morocco
- EnglishThe Mediator [Le Mediateur] is an independent and specialized national institution which has for its mission, within the framework of the relations between the administration and the users, to defend the rights, to contribute to reinforcing the primacy of the law and to disseminate [diffuser] the principles of justice and of equity, and the values of moral behavior [moralisation] and of transparency in the managing of the administrations, of the public establishments, of the territorial collectivities and of the organs [organismes] endowed with prerogatives of public authority [puissance]. (Art. 162)
- Arabicالوسيط مؤسّسة وطنيّة مستقلّة ومتخصّصة، مهمّتها الدّفاع عن الحقوق في نطاق العلاقات بين الإدارة والمرتفقين، والإسهام في ترسيخ سيادة القانون، وإشاعة مبادئ العدل والإنصاف، وقيم التخليق والشفافية في تدبير الإدارات والمؤسسات العمومية والجماعات التّرابية والهيئات التي تمارس صلاحيات السلطة العمومية. (الفصل 162)
National Human Rights Bodies
South Africa
- English(1) The Public Protector and the members of any Commission established by this Chapter4 must be women or men who—
(a) are South African citizens;
(b) are fit and proper persons to hold the particular office; and
(c) comply with any other requirements prescribed by national legislation.
(2) The need for a Commission established by this Chapter to reflect broadly the race and gender composition of South Africa must be considered when members are appointed.
… (Sec. 193)
National Human Rights Bodies
Kyrgyzstan
- EnglishThe parliamentary oversight over the observance of human and civil rights and freedoms in the Kyrgyz Republic shall be performed by the Ombudsman (Akiykatchy). (Art. 108)
- RussianПарламентский контроль за соблюдением прав и свобод человека и гражданина в Кыргызской Республике осуществляется Акыйкатчы (Омбудсменом). (Статья 108)
- KyrgyzКыргыз Республикасында адамдын жана жарандын эркиндиктеринин сакталышына парламенттик контролду Акыйкатчы (Омбудсмен) жүргүзөт. (108-берене)
National Human Rights Bodies
Zimbabwe
- English(1) The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has the following functions—
(a) to promote awareness of and respect for human rights and freedoms at all levels of society;
(b) to promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights and freedoms;
(c) to monitor, assess and ensure observance of human rights and freedoms;
(d) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;
(e) to protect the public against abuse of power and maladministration by State and public institutions and by officers of those institutions;
(f) to investigate the conduct of any authority or person, where it is alleged that any of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights has been violated by that authority or person;
(g) to secure appropriate redress, including recommending the prosecution of offenders, where human rights or freedoms have been violated;
(h) to direct the Commissioner-General of Police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights or freedoms and to report to the Commission on the results of any such investigation;
(i) to recommend to Parliament effective measures to promote human rights and freedoms;
(j) to conduct research into issues relating to human rights and freedoms and social justice; and
(k) to visit and inspect—
(i) prisons, places of detention, refugee camps and related facilities; and
(ii) places where mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped persons are detained;
in order to ascertain the conditions under which persons are kept there, and to make recommendations regarding those conditions to the Minister responsible for administering the law relating to those places.
(2) The Commissioner-General of Police must comply with any directive given to him or her by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission under subsection (1)(h). (Sec. 243)