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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.
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Limitations and/or Derogations
Canada
- EnglishThe Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. (Constitution Act 1982, Sec. 1)
- FrenchLa Charte canadienne des droits et libertés garantit les droits et libertés qui y sont énoncés. Ils ne peuvent être restreints que par une règle de droit, dans des limites qui soient raisonnables et dont la justification puisse se démontrer dans le cadre d’une société libre et démocratique. (Loi constitutionnelle de 1982, Sec. 1)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Germany
- English…
(3) Amendments to this Basic Law affecting the division of the Federation into Länder, their participation on principle in the legislative process, or the principles laid down in Articles 15 and 20 shall be inadmissible. (Art. 79) - German…
(3) Eine Änderung dieses Grundgesetzes, durch welche die Gliederung des Bundes in Länder, die grundsätzliche Mitwirkung der Länder bei der Gesetzgebung oder die in den Artikeln 1 und 20 niedergelegten Grundsätze berührt werden, ist unzulässig. (Art. 79)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Guinea-Bissau
- English1. Fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution do not negate other rights foreseen by the laws of the Republic and applicable rules of international law.
2. Constitutional and legal principles relating to fundamental rights have to be interpreted in harmony with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (Art. 29) - Portuguese1 - Os direitos fundamentais consagrados na Constituição não excluem quaisquer outros constantes das demais leis da República e das regras aplicáveis de direito internacional.
2 - Os preceitos constitucionais e legais relativos aos direitos fundamentais devem ser interpretados de harmonia com a Declaração Universal dos Direitos do Homem. (Art. 29)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Cuba
- EnglishWhile situations of exception and disaster are in force, the law determines the rights and duties recognized by the Constitution, whose exercise must be regulated in a different manner. (Art. 224)
- SpanishDurante la vigencia de las situaciones excepcionales y de desastre, la ley determina los derechos y deberes reconocidos por la Constitución, cuyo ejercicio debe ser regulado de manera diferente. (Art. 224)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Malta
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (4), (5) and (7) of this article, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (6), (7) and (8) of this article, no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(3) In this article, 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, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity 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) Sub-article (1) of this article shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision –
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(e) for authorising the taking during a period of public emergency of measures that are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation that exists during that period of public emergency;
...
(7) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this article to the extent that the law in question makes provision (not being provisions specifically relating to sex) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in sub-article (3) of this article may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by articles 38, 40, 41, 42 and 44 of this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorised by article 38(2), 40(2), 41(2), 42(2) or 44(3).
... (Art. 45) - Maltese(1) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (4), (5) u (7) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ebda liġi ma għandha tagħmel xi disposizzjoni li tkun diskriminatorja sew fiha nnifisha jew fl-effett tagħha.
(2) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (6), (7) u (8) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ħadd ma għandu jiġi trattat b’mod diskriminatorju minn xi persuna li taġixxi bis-saħħa ta’ xi liġi miktuba jew fil-qadi tal-funzjonijiet ta’ xi kariga pubblika jew xi awtorità pubblika.
(3) F’dan l-artikolu, il-kelma "diskriminatorju" tfisser għoti ta’ trattament differenti lil persuni differenti attribwibbli għal kollox jew prinċipalment għad-deskrizzjoni tagħhom rispettiva skont ir-razza, post ta’ oriġini, opinjonijiet politiċi, kulur, fidi, sess, orjentazzjoni sesswali jew identità tal-ġeneru li minħabba fihom persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni waħda bħal dawn ikunu suġġetti għal inkapaċitajiet jew restrizzjonijiet li persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn ma jkunux suġġetti għalihom jew ikunu mogħtija privileġġi jew vantaġġi li ma jkunux mogħtija lil persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn.
(4) Is-subartikolu (1) ta’ dan l-artikolu ma għandux jgħodd għal xi liġi safejn dik il-liġi tipprovdi –
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(e) għall-awtorizzazzjoni tat-teħid matul perijodu ta’ emerġenza pubblika ta’ miżuri li jkunu raġonevolment ġustifikabbli sabiex tiġi milqugħa s-sitwazzjoni li tkun teżisti matul dak il-perijodu ta’ emerġenza pubblika:
...
(7) Ebda ħaġa li tkun hemm jew li tkun magħmula bl-awtorità ta’ xi liġi ma għandha titqies li tkun inkonsistenti ma jew bi ksur ta’ dan l-artikolu safejn il-liġi in kwistjoni tagħmel provvediment (li ma jkunux provvedimenti li jirrigwardaw is-sess speċifikatament) li li bih persuni ta’ xi deskrizzjoni bħal dik kif hija msemmija fis-subartikolu (3) ta’ dan l-artikolu jistgħu jiġu assoġġettati għal xi restrizzjoni fuq drittijiet u libertajiet garantiti bl-artikoli 38, 40, 41, 42 u 44 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni, li tkun restrizzjoni bħal dik kif awtorizzata bl-artikolu 38(2), 40(2), 41(2), 42(2) jew 44(3).
... (Art. 45)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Malawi
- English1. No derogation from rights contained in this Chapter8 shall be permissible save to the extent provided for by this section and no such derogation shall be made unless there has been a declaration of a state of emergency within the meaning of this section.
2. There shall be no derogation with regard to—
a. the right to life;
b. the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
c. the prohibition of genocide;
d. the prohibition of slavery, the slave trade and slave-like practices;
e. the prohibition of imprisonment for failure to meet contractual obligations;
f. the prohibition on retrospective criminalization and the retrospective imposition of greater penalties for criminal acts;
g. the right to equality and recognition before the law;
h. the right to freedom of conscience, belief, thought and religion and to academic freedom; or
i. the right to habeas corpus.
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4. Derogation from the rights contained in this Chapter, other than the rights listed in subsection (2), shall be permissible during a state of emergency within the meaning of this section and to the extent that—
a. such derogation is consistent with the obligations of Malawi under international law; and
b. in the case of—
i. war or threat of war, it is strictly required to prevent the lives of defensive combatants and civilians as well as legitimate military objectives from being placed in direct jeopardy; or
ii. a widespread natural disaster, it is strictly required for the protection and relief of those people and facilities whether in or outside the disaster area.
… (Sec. 45)
Limitations and/or Derogations
El Salvador
- EnglishThe principles, rights and obligations established by this Constitution may not be altered by the laws that regulate its exercise.
The Constitution will prevail over all laws and regulations. The public interest holds primacy over the private interest. (Art. 246) - SpanishLos principios, derechos y obligaciones establecidos por esta Constitución no pueden ser alterados por las leyes que regulen su ejercicio.
La Constitución prevalecerá sobre todas las leyes y reglamentos. El interés público tiene primacía sobre el interés privado. (Art. 246)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Romania
- English(1) The exercise of certain rights or freedoms may only be restricted by law, and only if necessary, as the case may be, for: the defence of national security, of public order, health, or morals, of the citizens' rights and freedoms; conducting a criminal investigation; preventing the consequences of a natural calamity, disaster, or an extremely severe catastrophe.
(2) Such restriction shall only be ordered if necessary in a democratic society. The measure shall be proportional to the situation having caused it, applied without discrimination, and without infringing on the existence of such right or freedom. (Art. 53) - Romanian(1) Exerciţiul unor drepturi sau al unor libertăţi poate fi restrâns numai prin lege şi numai dacă se impune, după caz, pentru: apărarea securităţii naţionale, a ordinii, a sănătăţii ori a moralei publice, a drepturilor şi a libertăţilor cetăţenilor; desfăşurarea instrucţiei penale; prevenirea consecinţelor unei calamităţi naturale, ale unui dezastru ori ale unui sinistru deosebit de grav.
(2) Restrângerea poate fi dispusă numai dacă este necesară într-o societate democratică. Măsura trebuie să fie proporţională cu situaţia care a determinat-o, să fie aplicată în mod nediscriminatoriu şi fără a aduce atingere existenţei dreptului sau a libertăţii. (Art. 53)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Mexico
- EnglishIn the United Mexican States all persons will enjoy the human rights recognized in this Constitution and in the treaties to which the Mexican State is a party, as well as the guarantees for their protection, of which [the] exercise may not be restricted or suspended, except in the cases and under the conditions that this Constitution establishes.
… (Art. 1) - SpanishEn los Estados Unidos Mexicanos todas las personas gozarán de los derechos humanos reconocidos en esta Constitución y en los tratados internacionales de los que el Estado Mexicano sea parte, así como de las garantías para su protección, cuyo ejercicio no podrá restringirse ni suspenderse, salvo en los casos y bajo las condiciones que esta Constitución establece.
… (Art. 1)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Indonesia
- English(1) Every person shall have the duty to respect the human rights of others in the orderly life of the community, nation and state.
(2) In exercising his/her rights and freedoms, every person shall have the duty to accept the restrictions established by law for the sole purposes of guaranteeing the recognition and respect of the rights and freedoms of others and of satisfying just demands based upon considerations of morality, religious values, security and public order in a democratic society. (Art. 28J) - Indonesian(1) Setiap orang wajib menghormati hak asasi manusia orang lain dalam tertib kehidupan bermasyarakat, berbangsa, dan bernegara.
(2) Dalam menjalankan hak dan kebebasannya, setiap orang wajib tunduk kepada pembatasan yang ditetapkan dengan undang-undang dengan maksud semata-mata untuk menjamin pengakuan serta penghormatan atas hak dan kebebasan orang lain dan untuk memenuhi tuntutan yang adil sesuai dengan pertimbangan moral, nilai-nilai agama, keamanan, dan ketertiban umum dalam suatu masyarakat demokratis. (Pasal 28J)