Constitution of Solomon Islands 1978, as amended to 2023
Equality and Non-Discrimination
  • English
    We the people of Solomon Islands, …
    AGREE AND PLEDGE that –

    (b) we shall uphold the principles of equality, social justice and the equitable distribution of incomes;
    … (Preamble)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
  • English
    Whereas every person in Solomon Islands is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following, namely:-
    (a) ... the protection of the law;
    … (Sec. 3)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
  • English

    (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (5), (6) and (9) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
    (2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (7), (8) and (9) of this section, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or performance of the function of any public office or any public authority.
    (3) Subject to the provision of subsection (9) of this section, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner in respect of access to shops, hotels, lodging-houses, public restaurants, eating-houses or places of public entertainment or in respect of access to places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of public funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.
    (4) In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex 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.
    (5) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-

    (c) for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in the preceding subsection (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters that is the personal law applicable to persons of that description;
    (d) for the application of customary law;
    (e) with respect to land, the tenure of land, the resumption and acquisition of land and other like purposes;
    (f) for the advancement of the more disadvantaged members of the community; or
    (g) where persons of any such description as is mentioned in the preceding subsection may be subjected 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.
    (6) Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards or qualifications (not being standards or qualification specifically relating to race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex) to be required of any person who is appointed to any office in the public service, any office in a disciplined force, any office in the service of the government of Honiara city or any provincial government or any office in a body corporate established directly by any law for public purposes, or who wishes to engage in any trade or business.
    (7) Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorised to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (5) or (6) of this section.
    (8) Subsection (2) of this section shall not affect any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance of civil or criminal proceedings in any court that is vested in any person by or under this Constitution or any other law.
    (9) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (4) of this section may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by section 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorised by section 9(2), 11(6), 12(2), 13(2) or 14(3), as the case may be. (Sec. 15)3

1

Constitution of Solomon Islands 1978, as amended to 2018 (English); 2022 Amendment to the Constitution (English); 2023 Amendment to the Constitution (English). The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the Constitution of Solomon Islands 1978 (English).

Links to all sites last visited 27 November 2023
2

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.

3

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.

4

Sections 3 to 16 are part of Chapter II on Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individuals.

5

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.

6

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.

7

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.

8

The most recent consolidated version of the Constitution does not reflect correctly Section 15, which was not amended since the Constitution's adoption in 1978. For section 15, please refer to the 1978 Constitution.