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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…
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may make provision -
(a) …
(v) for the extraction from the lists and declaration of names of the candidates who have been elected, and for such provision for extraction to take into account the proportion that women form of the electorate;
…
(b) …
(iii) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s list and in all party’s lists taken together;
(iv) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s lists for geographical constituencies taken individually or together;
(v) for the maximum percentage or the number of geographical constituencies a party can contest in which its lists contain no female candidate.
… (Art. 160)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
6. There shall be a substantial representation of women in the Judiciary having regard to competence, integrity, credibility and impartiality.
… (Art. 122)
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)
- EnglishThe State works to promote the political rights of women by increasing their chances of access to representation in elected assemblies.
Detailed rules for the application of this Article are set forth in the law. (Art. 36) - FrenchL’Etat œuvre à la promotion des droits politiques de la femme en augmentant ses chances d’accès à la représentation dans les assemblées élues.
Les modalités d’application de cet article sont fixées par la loi. (Art. 36)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe direct and active participation in political life by men and women is a condition for and a fundamental instrument in the consolidation of the democratic system, and the law must promote both equality in the exercise of civic and political rights and the absence of gender-based discrimination in access to political office. (Art. 109)
- PortugueseA participação directa e activa de homens e mulheres na vida política constitui condição e instrumento fundamental de consolidação do sistema democrático, devendo a lei promover a igualdade no exercício dos direitos cívicos e políticos e a não discriminação em função do sexo no acesso a cargos políticos. (Art. 109)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(4) The State shall ensure gender balance and fair representation of marginalized groups in all constitutional and other bodies.
… (Sec. 60)
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)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishPersons wishing to have a career in the armed forces or police force shall not be discriminated against for admittance. The law shall stipulate the specific requirements for those cases where special skills, knowledge or capabilities are required.
Members of the Armed Forces and the National Police Force shall be subject to specific laws governing their rights and obligations and subject to their system of advancement and promotions based on merit and gender equity criteria. Their job security and professional development shall be guaranteed.
… (Art. 160) - SpanishLas personas aspirantes a la carrera militar y policial no serán discriminadas para su ingreso. La ley establecerá los requisitos específicos para los casos en los que se requiera de habilidades, conocimientos o capacidades especiales.
Los miembros de las Fuerzas Armadas y de la Policía Nacional estarán sujetos a las leyes específicas que regulen sus derechos y obligaciones, y su sistema de ascensos y promociones con base en méritos y con criterios de equidad de género. Se garantizará su estabilidad y profesionalización.
… (Art. 160)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
…
The Constitutional Council is an entity whose sole purpose is to discuss and approve a proposed text for a new Constitution, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this section. Its members will be elected by popular vote, and their composition will be gender-balanced.
...
2. ... The list of a political party or electoral coalition must indicate the order of precedence that the candidates will have on the ballot for each senatorial constituency, starting with a woman and alternating subsequently between men and women. In each senatorial constituency, the lists or electoral coalitions must always declare an even number of candidates, consisting of an equal number of women and men.
...
3. The following rules shall be followed for the distribution and allocation of seats in the Constitutional Council:
a) The electoral system for the Constitutional Council shall aim to achieve equitable representation of women and men, understood as 25 women and 25 men.
... (Art. 144) - Spanish
...
El Consejo Constitucional es un órgano que tiene por único objeto discutir y aprobar una propuesta de texto de nueva Constitución, de acuerdo al procedimiento fijado en el presente epígrafe. Sus integrantes serán electos en votación popular y su conformación será paritaria.
...
2. ...
La lista de un partido político o pactos electorales deberán señalar el orden de precedencia que tendrán los candidatos en la cédula para cada circunscripción senatorial, comenzando por una mujer y alternándose, sucesivamente, éstas con hombres.
En cada circunscripción senatorial, las listas o pactos electorales deberán declarar siempre un número par de candidatos, integrados por el mismo número de mujeres y hombres.
...
3. Para la distribución y asignación de escaños del Consejo Constitucional se seguirán las siguientes reglas:
a) El sistema electoral para el Consejo Constitucional se orientará a conseguir una representación equitativa de mujeres y hombres, entendiéndose esto como 25 mujeres y 25 hombres.
... (Art. 144)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
(1) In this section, discrimination refers to the treatment of different people in different ways wholly or mainly because of their different —
(a) races; or
(b) places of origin; or
(c) political opinions; or
(d) colours; or
(e) religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs, or
(f) disability; or
(g) sex
in such a way that one such person is for some such reason given more favourable treatment or less favourable treatment than another such person.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part, and in particular to —
(a) the succeeding provisions of this section;
...
no-one shall be treated in a discriminatory manner.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a law so far as it makes provision —
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(f) by which any person or group may be given favourable treatment or unfavourable treatment which, having regard to the nature of the treatment and to any special circumstances of the person or group, is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society having a proper respect for human rights and dignity.
... (Sec. 27)