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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)
- 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)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Everyone has the right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act 1993.
(2) Measures taken in good faith for the purpose of assisting or advancing persons or groups of persons disadvantaged because of discrimination that is unlawful by virtue of Part 22 of the Human Rights Act 1993 do not constitute discrimination. (Bill of Rights Act 1990, Sec. 19)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishFor the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that preferential treatment granted by reason of—
(a) a woman’s pregnancy or childbirth; or
(b) a person’s responsibility for part-time care or full-time care of children or other dependants— shall not constitute a breach of this Part. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 74)
Education
- English(1) It shall be unlawful for any person (in the course of that person’s involvement in any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3)) to make a request of any other person for sexual intercourse, sexual contact, or other form of sexual activity which contains an implied or overt promise of preferential treatment or an implied or overt threat of detrimental treatment.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person (in the course of that person’s involvement in any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3)) by the use of language (whether written or spoken) of a sexual nature, or of visual material of a sexual nature, or by physical behaviour of a sexual nature, to subject any other person to behaviour that—
(a) is unwelcome or offensive to that person (whether or not that is conveyed to the first-mentioned person); and
(b) is either repeated, or of such a significant nature, that it has a detrimental effect on that person in respect of any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3).
(3) The areas to which subsections (1) and (2) apply are—
…
(j) education.
…
(4) Where a person complains of sexual harassment, no account shall be taken of any evidence of the person’s sexual experience or reputation. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 62)
Education
- EnglishNothing in section 57 shall prevent the holding or provision, at any educational establishment, of courses or counselling restricted to persons of a particular sex, race, ethnic or national origin, or sexual orientation, where highly personal matters, such as sexual matters or the prevention of violence, are involved. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 59)
Education
- English(1) An educational establishment maintained wholly or principally for students of one sex, race, or religious belief, or for students with a particular disability, or for students in a particular age group, or the authority responsible for the control of any such establishment, does not commit a breach of section 57 by refusing to admit students of a different sex, race, or religious belief, or students not having that disability or not being in that age group.
… (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 58)
Education
- English(1) It shall be unlawful for an educational establishment, or the authority responsible for the control of an educational establishment, or any person concerned in the management of an educational establishment or in teaching at an educational establishment,—
(a) to refuse or fail to admit a person as a pupil or student; or
(b) to admit a person as a pupil or a student on less favourable terms and conditions than would otherwise be made available; or
(c) to deny or restrict access to any benefits or services provided by the establishment; or
(d) to exclude a person as a pupil or a student or subject him or her to any other detriment,— by reason of any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination.
(2) In this section, educational establishment includes an establishment offering any form of training or instruction and an educational establishment under the control of an organisation or association referred to in section 40. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 57)
Employment Rights and Protection
- English
(1) It is unlawful for a person (in the course of that person’s involvement in any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (2)) to treat adversely any other person, or to make an implied or overt threat to treat adversely any other person, on the ground that the other person is, or is suspected or assumed or believed to be, a person affected by domestic violence.
(2) The areas to which subsection (1) applies are—
(a) the making of an application for employment:
(b) employment, which term includes unpaid work.
(3) In this section, an employer treats adversely an employee if the employer—
(a) dismisses that employee, in circumstances in which other employees employed by that employer on work of that description are not or would not be dismissed or subjected to such detriment; or
(b) refuses or omits to offer or afford to that employee the same terms of employment, conditions of work, fringe benefits, or opportunities for training, promotion, and transfer as are made available for other employees of the same or substantially the same qualifications, experience, or skills employed in the same or substantially similar circumstances; or
(c) subjects that employee to any detriment, in circumstances in which other employees employed by that employer on work of that description are not or would not be subjected to such detriment; or
(d) retires that employee, or requires or causes that employee to retire or resign.
(4) For the purposes of this section,— child has the meaning given to it in section 8 of the Family Violence Act 2018
family violence has the meaning given to it in section 9 the Family Violence Act 2018, person affected by family violence means a person who is 1 or both of the following:
(a) a person against whom any other person is inflicting, or has inflicted, family violence:
(b) a person with whom there ordinarily or periodically resides a child against whom any other person is inflicting, or has inflicted, family violence.
(5) Subsection (1) applies regardless of how long ago the family violence occurred or is suspected or assumed or believed to have occurred, and even if the family violence occurred or is suspected or assumed or believed to have occurred before the person became an employee. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 62A)
Employment Rights and Protection
- English(1) It shall be unlawful for any person (in the course of that person’s involvement in any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3)) to make a request of any other person for sexual intercourse, sexual contact, or other form of sexual activity which contains an implied or overt promise of preferential treatment or an implied or overt threat of detrimental treatment.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person (in the course of that person’s involvement in any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3)) by the use of language (whether written or spoken) of a sexual nature, or of visual material of a sexual nature, or by physical behaviour of a sexual nature, to subject any other person to behaviour that—
(a) is unwelcome or offensive to that person (whether or not that is conveyed to the first-mentioned person); and
(b) is either repeated, or of such a significant nature, that it has a detrimental effect on that person in respect of any of the areas to which this subsection is applied by subsection (3).
(3) The areas to which subsections (1) and (2) apply are—
(a) the making of an application for employment:
(b) employment, which term includes unpaid work:
(c) participation in, or the making of an application for participation in a partnership:
(d) membership, or the making of an application for membership, of an industrial union or professional or trade association:
(e) access to any approval, authorisation, or qualification:
(f) vocational training, or the making of an application for vocational training:
…
(4) Where a person complains of sexual harassment, no account shall be taken of any evidence of the person’s sexual experience or reputation. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 62)
Employment Rights and Protection
- EnglishNothing in section 22 shall prevent restrictions imposed by an employer—
(a) on the employment of any person who is married to, or in a civil union or in a de facto relationship with, or who is a relative of, another employee if—
(i) there would be a reporting relationship between them; or
(ii) there is a risk of collusion between them to the detriment of the employer; or
(b) on the employment of any person who is married to, or in a civil union or in a de facto relationship with, or who is a relative of, an employee of another employer if there is a risk of collusion between them to the detriment of that person’s employer. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 32)