Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Lao citizens are persons who hold Lao nationality as provided by the laws.
... (Art. 34)

The government has the following rights and duties:
…
10. To approve the granting or revoking nationality, discard nationality, or returning of a Lao nationality;
… (Art. 70)

The National Assembly Standing Committee has the following rights and duties:
…
2. To create, interpret and explain the provisions of the Constitution and the laws;
… (Art. 56)

The State attends on implementing national education policy in order to build good citizens with competence, knowledge, abilities and technical skills.
The State and society attend to developing high quality national education, to create opportunities and [favourable] conditions in education for all people throughout the country, especially people in remote areas, ethnic groups, women, children, disadvantage person and disable person.
… (Art. 22)

Lao citizens have the right to receive education, and learning in order to developthemselves toward an advanced level. (Art. 38)

The State and society attend to developing skilled labour, upgrading labour discipline, promoting vocational skills and occupations and protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of workers. (Art. 27)

Lao citizens have the right to work and engage in occupations which are not contrary to the laws. Workers have the right to rest, to receive medical treatment in times of illness, [and] to receive assistance in the event of incapacity or disability, in old age, and in other cases as provided by the laws. (Art. 39)

The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.
… (Art. 8)

Lao citizens are all equal before the law regardless women or men, social status, education, beliefs and ethnic group. (Art. 35)

Lao citizens both women and men enjoy equal rights in the political, economic, cultural and social fields and in family affairs. (Art. 37)

The State protects the freedom and democratic rights of the people which cannot be violated by anyone. All state organisations and government officials must promote and build awareness of all policies, laws and regulations among the people and, together with the people, and strictly organise their implementation in order to guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of the people.
... (Art. 6)

…
The State acknowledge, respect, protect, and guarantee the human rights including fundamental rights of the citizen in accordance to the law. (Art. 34)

Lao citizens have the right to file complaints and petitions and to propose ideas to the relevant State organisations in connection with issues pertaining to the public interest or to their own rights and interests.
Complaints, petitions and ideas of citizens must be examined and resolved as provided by the laws. (Art. 41)

The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.
The State implements every measure to gradually develop and upgrade the socio- economic levels of all ethnic groups. (Art. 8)

The State, society and families attend to implementing development policies and supporting the progress of women and to protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of women and children. (Art. 29)

Citizens of both women and men enjoy equal rights in the political, economic, cultural and social fields and in family affairs. (Art. 37)

The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own tribes and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.
The State implements every measure to gradually develop and upgrade the socio- economic levels of all ethnic groups. (Art. 8)

…
The State and society attend to developing high quality national education, to create opportunities and [favourable] conditions in education for all people throughout the country, especially people in remote areas, ethnic groups, women, children, disadvantage person and disable person.
… (Art. 22)

The Lao Front for National Development, Lao Veterans Federation, the Lao Federation of Trade Unions, the Lao Women's Union, the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union and other social organisations are the organs to unite and mobilise all strata of the multi-ethnic people to take part in the tasks of protection and construction of the country; to develop the right of self- determination of the people and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of members of their respective organisations. (Art. 7)

Citizens of both women and men enjoy equal rights in the political, economic, cultural and social fields and in family affairs. (Art. 37)

The people are to elect representatives, namely the National Assembly and Local People's Assemblies, to ensure that their rights, powers and benefits are addressed.The election of members of the National Assembly shall be carried out through the principles of universal equal direct suffrage and secret balloting.
… (Art. 4)

The Lao Front for National Development, the Lao Veterans Federation, the Lao Federation of Trade Unions, the Lao Women's Union, the Lao People's Revolutionary Youth Union and other social organisations are the organs to unite and mobilise all strata of the multi-ethnic people to take part in the tasks of protection and construction of the country; to develop the right of self- determination of the people and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of members of their respective organisations. (Art. 7)

Lao citizens aged eighteen years and above have the right to vote and those aged twenty one years and above have the right to be elected, except insane persons, persons with mental disorders and persons whose rights to vote and to be elected have been revoked by a court. (Art. 36)

Citizens of both women and men enjoy equal rights in the political, economic, cultural and social fields and in family affairs. (Art. 37)

Lao citizens have the right and freedom of speech, press and assembly; and have the right to set up associations and to stage demonstrations which are not contrary to the laws. (Art. 44)

The rights of the multi-ethnic people to be the masters of the country are exercised and ensured through the functioning of the political system with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party as its leading nucleus. (Art. 3)

The President of the State is the Head of State of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the representative of the multi-ethnic Lao people both within the country and abroad; The President of the State is also the head of national defence and national security, the general of the armed civilian army for independent protection, democracy, defending the homeland and securing peace and stability of the nation. (Art. 65)

The President of the State is elected by the National Assembly with two-thirds of the votes of all members of the National Assembly attending the session.
… (Art. 66)

The President of the State have a Vice-President as elected by the National Assembly with the votes of more than two-third of the number of National Assembly members attending the session.
The Vice-President of the State executes all tasks assigned by the President of the State and acts on behalf of the President of the State in case the President is occupied on other matters. (Art. 68)

The government is the executive branch, which has the role of managing the State uniformly throughout the country.
The government is responsible for the National Assembly and the President of the State. (Art. 69)

The government consists of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister[s], ministers and chairmen of the ministry-equivalent organisations.
… (Art. 71)

The Prime Minister is the head of the government, and represents the government in leading and managing the work of the government and local administration organisations; having rights to appoint, transfer, or remove the deputy- minister, the deputy head of ministry-equivalent, head of bureau office, deputy head of bureau, head of department; appoint or remove provincial governor, Vientiane Capital Governor, upon the approval of the provincial assembly meeting, propose the rewarding or degrading high rank of generals, promoting or demoting colonels of the national defence and security. (Art. 72)

The Deputy Prime Ministers are the assistants of the Prime Minister to lead onmatters of the government and local administrative organizations and execute the tasks assigned to them by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister assigns a particular Deputy Prime Minister to carry out work on his behalf in the event that he is [occupied on other matters]. (Art. 73)

…
The election of members of the National Assembly and the Local People'sAssemblies shall be carried out through the principles of universal equal direct suffrage and secret balloting.
… (Art. 4)

The National Assembly is the representative of the rights and interests of the Lao multi-ethnic people. The National Assembly is the supreme authority of the state. The National Assembly is the legislative body to perform the role to adopt the Constitution and laws, make decisions on fundamental issues of the country and to monitor the implementation of the Constitution and laws by the State organizations. (Art. 52)

…
Members of the National Assembly are elected by the Lao citizens in accordance with the laws.
... (Art. 54)

The State protects and promotes all forms of property rights: State, collective, private domestic and foreign investment in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. (Art. 16)

The State protects the property rights (such as the rights of possession, use, usufruct and disposition) and the inheritance rights of individuals, legal entities and organisations in accordance with the laws.
Lands, minerals, water sources, air, forests, forest products, aquatic and wild animals, and other natural resources are a national heritage, and the State is the centralized and unified representative to manage in accordance with the laws. (Art. 17)

The right of Lao citizens by their lives, bodies, dignities and shelters are inviolable.
… (Art. 42)

…
The State and society focus on building, improving disease prevention systems, providing health care to all people with quality, creating conditions to ensure that all people have access to health care, especially women and children, poor people and people in remote areas, to ensure the people's good health.
… (Art. 25)

The State and society attend to implementing policies on social security, especially towards national heroes, soldiers, retired civil servants, disabled people, [and the] families of those who have sacrificed their lives for the revolution and who have contributed extensively to the nation. (Art. 28)

The State, society and families attend to implementing development policies and supporting the progress of women and to protecting the legitimate rights and benefits of women and children. (Art. 29)

...
The Constitution of the People's Democratic regime in our country has acknowledged the major result that the people have victoriously achieved in undertaking and liberating the country, protecting and building the country, as well as the undertaking of the new changes. The Constitution defines the political regime, the socio-economic system, the regimes of national security, defense, foreign affairs, the rights and obligations of citizens and the system of organization of the state apparatus in the new era.
... (Preamble)

The State governs the society through the provisions of the Constitution and the laws.
Party and state organisations, the Lao Front for National Development, mass organisations, social organisations and all citizens must function within the bounds of the Constitution and the laws. (Art. 10)

Lao citizens have the obligation to respect the Constitution and the laws, ... (Art. 47)

The Constitution of the Lao People's Democratic Republic is a fundamental law of the nation.
All laws must comply with the Constitution. (Art. 117)

The State respects and protects all lawful activities of Buddhists and of followers of other religions, [and] mobilises and encourages Buddhist monks and novices as well as the priests of other religions to participate in activities that are beneficial to the country and people.
All acts creating division between religions and people are prohibited. (Art. 9)

The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.
… (Art. 8)