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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)
- EnglishThe State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting, inter alia, policies aimed at the following:
(a) enactment of legislation to ensure equality of opportunity for women, to enable them to participate fully in all spheres of Namibian society;
… (Art. 95)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
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6. The objects of local government shall be to:
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h. ensure gender mainstreaming in local government;
… (Art. 166)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The State of Rwanda commits itself to upholding and ensuring respect for the following fundamental principles:
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(d) building a State governed by the rule of law, a pluralistic democratic Government, equality of all Rwandans and between women and men which is affirmed by women occupying at least 30% of positions in decision-making organs;
… (Art. 10) - Kinyarwanda
Leta y’u Rwanda yiyemeje kugendera ku mahame remezo akurikira no gutuma yubahirizwa:
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(d) kubaka Leta igendera ku mategeko n’ubutegetsi bwa demokarasi ishingiye ku bitekerezo bya politiki binyuranye, uburinganire bw’Abanyarwanda bose n’ubw’abagore n’abagabo bushimangirwa n’uko abagore bagira nibura 30% by’imyanya mu nzego zifatirwamo ibyemezo;
… (Ingingo ya 10) - French
L’Etat du Rwanda s’engage à se conformer aux principes fondamentaux suivants et à les faire respecter:
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(d) l’édification d’un État de droit et d’un régime démocratique pluraliste, l’égalité de tous les Rwandais et l’égalité entre les femmes et les hommes reflétée par l’attribution aux femmes d’au moins 30% des postes dans les instances de prise de décisions;
… (Art. 10)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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- RECOGNIZING that the promotion of gender is a factor for realization of the equality of law [droit] between men and women of Burkina Faso;
… (Preamble) - French
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RECONNAISSANT que la promotion du genre est un facteur de réalisation de l’égalité de droit entre hommes et femmes au Burkina Faso;
… (Préambule)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
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(5) The State shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and prohibit discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed or other beliefs.
(6) Towards the achievement of the objectives stated in clause (5) of this article, the State shall take appropriate measures to—
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(b) achieve reasonable regional and gender balance in recruitment and appointment to public offices;
… (Art. 35)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the State shall take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them.
2. Laws, cultures, customs and traditions which are against the dignity, welfare or interest of women or any other marginalised group to which clause (1) relates or which undermine their status, are prohibited by this Constitution.
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5. Parliament shall make laws for the purpose of giving full effect to this article. (Art. 32)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State sees to the elimination of all forms of discrimination concerning [à l’égard de] women, young girls and handicapped persons. The public policies in all the domains assure their full development and their participation in the national development.
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It assures to them an equitable representation within the public institutions through the national policy [concerning] gender and the respect for the quotas. (Art. 22) - FrenchL’Etat veille à l’élimination de toute forme de discrimination à l’égard de la femme, de la jeune fille et des personnes handicapées. Les politiques publiques dans tous les domaines assurent leur plein épanouissement et leur participation au développement national.
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Il leur assure une représentation équitable dans les institutions publiques à travers la politique nationale du genre et le respect des quotas. (Art. 22)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law.
(2) For the avoidance of any doubt, a person shall not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(3) For the purposes of this section, “discriminate” means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, birth, tribe, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(4) Subject to the provisions of subsection (5) Parliament shall not be competent to enact a law that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(5) Nothing in this section shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are necessary for implementing policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational or other imbalances in society. (Sec. 20)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The State works to promote parity between men and women in the market of employment.
The State encourages the promotion of women to responsibilities in the public institutions and administrations as well as at the level of enterprises. (Art. 68) - Arabic
تعمل الدولة على ترقية التناصف بين الرجال والنساء في سوق التشغيل.
تشجع الدولة ترقية المرأة في مناصب المسؤولية في الهيئات والإدارات العمومية وعلى مستوى المؤسسات. (المــادة 68) - French
L'Etat œuvre à promouvoir la parité entre les hommes et les femmes sur le marché de l'emploi.
L'Etat encourage la promotion de la femme aux responsabilités dans les institutions et administrations publiques ainsi qu'au niveau des entreprises. (Art. 68)
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)