SEARCH DATABASE
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.
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President acting after consultation with the Minority Leader.
… (Art. 191)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Authorised Human Rights Representative of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine exercises parliamentary control over the observance of constitutional human and citizens' rights and freedoms. (Art. 101)
- UkrainianПарламентський контроль за додержанням конституційних прав і свобод людини і громадянина здійснює Уповноважений Верховної Ради України з прав людини. (Стаття 101)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe human person is the supreme end [fin] of society and of the State. All have the obligation to respect it and protect it.
The dignity of the human being is inviolable.
To guarantee the rights and freedoms recognized in this Constitution, the Institution of the National Commissioner of Human Rights is created.
The organization, prerogatives and attributions of the National Commissioner of Human Rights will be the object of a special law. (Art. 59) - SpanishLa persona humana es el fin supremo de la Sociedad y del Estado. Todos tienen la obligación de respetarla y protegerla. La dignidad del ser humano es inviolable. Para garantizar los derechos y libertades reconocidos en esta Constitución, créase la institución del Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos. La organización, prerrogativas y atribuciones del Comisionado Nacional de los Derechos Humanos será objeto de una Ley Especial. (Art. 59)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Mediator [Le Mediateur] is an independent and specialized national institution which has for its mission, within the framework of the relations between the administration and the users, to defend the rights, to contribute to reinforcing the primacy of the law and to disseminate [diffuser] the principles of justice and of equity, and the values of moral behavior [moralisation] and of transparency in the managing of the administrations, of the public establishments, of the territorial collectivities and of the organs [organismes] endowed with prerogatives of public authority [puissance]. (Art. 162)
- Arabicالوسيط مؤسّسة وطنيّة مستقلّة ومتخصّصة، مهمّتها الدّفاع عن الحقوق في نطاق العلاقات بين الإدارة والمرتفقين، والإسهام في ترسيخ سيادة القانون، وإشاعة مبادئ العدل والإنصاف، وقيم التخليق والشفافية في تدبير الإدارات والمؤسسات العمومية والجماعات التّرابية والهيئات التي تمارس صلاحيات السلطة العمومية. (الفصل 162)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English1. The House of Peoples' Representatives shall have the power of legislation in all matters assigned by this Constitution to Federal jurisdiction.
…
14. It shall establish a Human Rights Commission and determine by law its powers and functions.
15. It shall establish the institution of the Ombudsman, and select and appoint its members. It shall determine by law the powers and functions of the institution.
… (Art. 55) - Amharic1. የሕዝብ ተወካዮች ምክር ቤት በዚህ ሕገ መንግሥት መሰረት ለፌዴራሉ መንግሥት በተሰጠው የሥልጣን ክልል ሕጐችን ያወጣል፡፡
…
14. የሰብዓዊ መብቶች ኮሚሽን ያቋቁማል፤ ሥልጣንና ተግባሩን በሕግ ይወስናል፡፡
15. የሕዝብ እንባ ጠባቂ ተቋምን ያቋቁማል፤ ተቋሙን የሚመሩ አባላትን ይመርጣል፤ይሰይማል፡፡ ሥልጣንና ተግባሩን በሕግ ይወስናል፡፡
… (አንቀጽ 55)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English1. There shall be a Banaba Island Council.
2. The powers and duties of the Banaba Island Council shall be prescribed by or under law. (Sec. 121)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, an Act of the National Assembly shall within six months of the coming into force of this Constitution establish the office of Ombudsman and provision for his or her functions and duties—
(a) in the investigation of any action taken by a government department or other authority, or other public body, to which the Act applies, being action taken in the exercise of the administrative functions of that department or authority, on a complaint by a member of the public who claims he or she has suffered injustice in consequence of maladministration or mismanagement, or discrimination on any ground set out in Chapter IV8, in connection with such action;
… (Sec. 163)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English
(1) The primary functions of the Commission are—
(a) to advocate and promote respect for, and an understanding and appreciation of, human rights in New Zealand society; and
(b) to encourage the maintenance and development of harmonious relations between individuals and among the diverse groups in New Zealand society; and
(c) to promote racial equality and cultural diversity; and
(d) to promote equal employment opportunities (including pay equity); and
(e) to promote and protect the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities.
(2) The Commission has, in order to carry out its primary functions under subsection (1), the following functions:
(a) to be an advocate for human rights and to promote and protect, by education and publicity, respect for, and observance of, human rights:
(b) to encourage and co-ordinate programmes and activities in the field of human rights:
(c) to make public statements in relation to any matter that may affect or infringe human rights (whether or not those human rights are affirmed in New Zealand domestic human rights law or international human rights law), including statements commenting on the position of the Government in relation to that matter:
(ca) to make public statements promoting an understanding of, and compliance with, this Act or the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (for example, statements promoting understanding of measures to ensure equality, of indirect discrimination, or of institutions and procedures under this Act for dealing with complaints of unlawful discrimination):
(d) to promote by research, education, and discussion a better understanding of the human rights dimensions of the Treaty of Waitangi and their relationship with domestic and international human rights law:
(e) to prepare and publish, as the Commission considers appropriate, guidelines and voluntary codes of practice for the avoidance of acts or practices that may be inconsistent with, or contrary to, this Act:
(f) to receive and invite representations from members of the public on any matter affecting human rights:
(g) to consult and co-operate with other persons and bodies concerned with the protection of human rights:
(h) to inquire generally into any matter, including any enactment or law, or any practice, or any procedure, whether governmental or non-governmental, if it appears to the Commission that the matter involves, or may involve, the infringement of human rights:
(i) to appear in or bring proceedings, in accordance with section 6 or section 92B or section 92E or section 92H or section 97:
(j) to apply to a court or tribunal, under rules of court or regulations specifying the tribunal’s procedure, to be appointed as intervener or as counsel assisting the court or tribunal, or to take part in proceedings before the court or tribunal in another way permitted by those rules or regulations, if, in the Commission’s opinion, taking part in the proceedings in that way will facilitate the performance of its functions stated in paragraph (a):
(k) to report to the Prime Minister on—
(i) any matter affecting human rights, including the desirability of legislative, administrative, or other action to give better protection to human rights and to ensure better compliance with standards laid down in international instruments on human rights:
(ii) the desirability of New Zealand becoming bound by any international instrument on human rights:
(iii) [Repealed]
(ka) to report to either or both of the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible on any existing or proposed legislation (including subordinate legislation), administrative provision, or policy of the Government that the Commission considers may affect human rights:
(kb) to promote the development of new international instruments on human rights:
(kc) to promote and monitor compliance by New Zealand with, and the reporting by New Zealand on, the implementation of international instruments on human rights ratified by New Zealand:
(l) to make public statements in relation to any group of persons in, or who may be coming to, New Zealand who are or may be subject to hostility, or who have been or may be brought into contempt, on the basis that that group consists of persons against whom discrimination is unlawful under this Act:
(m) to develop a national plan of action, in consultation with interested parties, for the promotion and protection of human rights in New Zealand:
(n) to exercise the following functions in relation to equal employment opportunities:
(i) to evaluate, through the use of benchmarks developed by the Commission, the roles that legislation, guidelines, and voluntary codes of practice play in facilitating and promoting best practice in equal employment opportunities:
(ii) to lead the development of guidelines and voluntary codes of practice to facilitate and promote best practice in equal employment opportunities (including codes that identify related rights and obligations in legislation) in accordance with paragraph (e):
(iii) to monitor and analyse progress in improving equal employment opportunities in New Zealand and to report to the Minister on the results of that monitoring and analysis:
(iv) to liaise with, and complement the work of, any trust or body that has as one of its purposes the promotion of equal employment opportunities:
(o) to exercise or perform any other functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on it by or under this Act or any other enactment.
(3) The Commission may, in the public interest or in the interests of a person, department, or organisation, publish reports relating generally to the exercise of its functions under this Act or to a particular inquiry by it under this Act, whether or not the matters to be dealt with in a report of that kind have been the subject of a report to the Minister or the Prime Minister. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 5)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission has the following functions—
(a) to promote awareness of and respect for human rights and freedoms at all levels of society;
(b) to promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights and freedoms;
(c) to monitor, assess and ensure observance of human rights and freedoms;
(d) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate;
(e) to protect the public against abuse of power and maladministration by State and public institutions and by officers of those institutions;
(f) to investigate the conduct of any authority or person, where it is alleged that any of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Declaration of Rights has been violated by that authority or person;
(g) to secure appropriate redress, including recommending the prosecution of offenders, where human rights or freedoms have been violated;
(h) to direct the Commissioner-General of Police to investigate cases of suspected criminal violations of human rights or freedoms and to report to the Commission on the results of any such investigation;
(i) to recommend to Parliament effective measures to promote human rights and freedoms;
(j) to conduct research into issues relating to human rights and freedoms and social justice; and
(k) to visit and inspect—
(i) prisons, places of detention, refugee camps and related facilities; and
(ii) places where mentally disordered or intellectually handicapped persons are detained;
in order to ascertain the conditions under which persons are kept there, and to make recommendations regarding those conditions to the Minister responsible for administering the law relating to those places.
(2) The Commissioner-General of Police must comply with any directive given to him or her by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission under subsection (1)(h). (Sec. 243)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) There is established the Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission.
(2) The functions of the Commission are—
(a) to promote respect for human rights and develop a culture of human rights in the Republic;
(b) to promote gender equality and equity generally and to coordinate and facilitate gender mainstreaming in national development;
(c) to promote the protection, and observance of human rights in public and private institutions;
(d) to monitor, investigate and report on the observance of human rights in all spheres of life in the Republic, including observance by the national security organs;
(e) to receive and investigate complaints about alleged abuses of human rights and take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated;
(f) on its own initiative or on the basis of complaints, to investigate or research a matter in respect of human rights, and make recommendations to improve the functioning of State organs;
(g) to act as the principal organ of the State in ensuring compliance with obligations under treaties and conventions relating to human rights;
…
(3) Every person has the right to complain to the Commission, alleging that a right or fundamental freedom in the Bill of Rights has been denied, violated or infringed, or is threatened.
(4) Parliament shall enact legislation to give full effect to this Part, and any such legislation may restructure the Commission into two or more separate commissions.
… (Art. 59) - Swahili(1) Kuna Tume ya Kitaifa ya Haki za Binadamu na Usawa ya Kenya.
(2) Kazi za Tume ni—
(a) kuimarisha heshima kwa haki za binadamu na kuendeleza utamaduni wa haki za binadamu katika Jamhuri;
(b) kuimarisha usawa wa kijinsia na haki kwa jumla na kuratibu na kuwezesha ujumuishaji wa masuala ya kijinsia katika maendeleo ya kitaifa;
(c) kuimarisha ulinzi, na uzingatiaji wa haki za binadamu katika taasisi za umma na binafsi;
(d) kufuatilia, kuchunguza na kutoa taarifa juu ya uzingatiaji wa haki za binadamu katika nyanja zote za maisha katika Jamhuri, ikiwa ni pamoja na vyombo vya usalama vya kitaifa kuzingatia;
(e) kupokea na kuchunguza malalamiko kuhusu tuhuma za ukiukaji wa haki za binadamu na kuchukua hatua za kutoa fidia stahiki pale ambapo haki za binadamu zimekiukwa;
(f) kwa jitihada zake yenyewe au kwa msingi wa malalamiko, kuchunguza au kutafiti jambo kuhusu haki za binadamu, na kutoa mapendekezo ya kuboresha utendaji kazi wa vyombo vya Serikali;
(g) kufanya kazi kama chombo kikuu cha Serikali katika kuhakikisha uzingatiaji wa majukumu chini ya makubaliano na mikataba inayohusiana na haki za binadamu;
…
(3) Kila mtu ana haki ya kulalamika mbele ya Tume, akidai kuwa haki au uhuru wa msingi katika Sheria ya Haki za Binadamu imenyimwa, imekiukwa au kuvunjwa, au imetishiwa.
(4) Bunge litatunga sheria kuwezesha utekelezaji kamili wa Sehemu hii, na sheria yoyote ya namna hiyo inaweza kuiunda upya tume na kuwa tume tofauti mbili au zaidi.
… (Kifungu cha 59)