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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)
- 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.
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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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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.
... (Sec. 18)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
The public powers work for the creation of the conditions permitting the effectiveness of liberty and of the equality of citizens to be made general [généraliser], as well as their participation in political, economic, cultural and social life.
… (Art. 6) - Arabic…
تعمل السّلطات العمومية على توفير الظروف التي تمكّن من تعميم الطّابع الفعلي لحرية المواطنات والمواطنين، والمساواة بينهم، ومن مشاركتهم في الحياة السياسيّة والاقتصاديّة والثقافيّة والاجتماعيّة.
… (الفصل 6)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The law establishes the rules concerning:
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- the promotion of gender;
… (Art. 101) - French
La loi fixe les règles concernant:
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- la promotion du genre;
… (Art. 101)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe National and state governments shall have legislative and executive competences on any of the matters listed below:
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18. Empowerment of women;
19. Gender policy;
… (Schedule (C): Concurrent Powers)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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Reaffirming our adherence and our attachment to the Conventions of the United Nations on the Rights of the Child and on the Rights of Women, particularly to the objective of the parity of man-woman representation within the institutions of the country as well as to the international instruments concerning the protection and promotion of human rights;
… (Preamble)3 - French
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Réaffirmant notre adhésion et notre attachement à la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme, à la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples, aux Conventions des Nations Unies sur les Droits de l’Enfant et sur les Droits de la Femme, particulièrement à l’objectif de la parité de représentation homme-femme au sein des institutions du pays ainsi qu’aux instruments internationaux relatifs à la protection et à la promotion des droits humains;
… (Préambule)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(5) Women must be included in all national institutions, in an effective way, in particular all elected and appointed positions across the three branches of government and in national independent commissions. (Art. 3) - Somali…
(5) Haweenku waa in ay ka mid noqdaan dhammaan hay’adaha guud ee qaranka, si wax-ku-ool ah, gaar ahaan jagooyinka la isu doorto iyo kuwa la isu magacaabo ee saddexda laamood ee Dawladda iyo Guddiyada Madaxbannaan ee Qaranka. (Qodobka 3aad.)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
(2) The state shall guarantee to both men and women the equal right to enjoy all civil, political, social, cultural, and economic rights, including the right to equal pay for equal work, and other professional benefits.
(3) The state shall guarantee women’s rights in all fields through positive discrimination.
... (Art. 48) - Arabic...
2.تكفل الدولة للرجال و النساء الحق المتساوي في التمتع بكل الحقوق المدنية والسياسية والإجتماعية والثقافية والإقتصادية بما فيها الحق في الأجر المتساوي للعمل المتساوي والمزايا الوظيفية الاخري
3. تضمن الدولة حقوق المرأة في جميع المجالات وتعززها من خلال التمييز الإيجابي.
(الماده 49)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State shall ensure gender balance and fair representation of marginalised groups on all constitutional and other bodies. (National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, VI)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(2) The need for a Commission established by this Chapter2 to reflect broadly the race and gender composition of South Africa must be considered when members are appointed.
… (Sec. 193)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(3) Every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status, or whether they were born in or out of wedlock.
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(6) The State must take reasonable legislative and other measures to promote the achievement of equality and to protect or advance people or classes of people who have been disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and—
(a) such measures must be taken to redress circumstances of genuine need;
(b) no such measure is to be regarded as unfair for the purposes of subsection (3). (Sec. 56)