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.
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishNotwithstanding anything in this Constitution, there shall be no derogation from the enjoyment of the following rights and freedoms
(a) life, equality before the law and security of person;
(b) the right to fair hearing;
(c) freedom from slavery or servitude;
(d) the right to an order in terms of section 35 (1); and
(e) freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. (Sec. 38)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- EnglishThe enunciation of the rights and guarantees contained in this Constitution must not be understood as the negation of others that, being inherent to the human personality, do not expressively figure in it. The lack of [a] regulatory law may not be invoked to deny or to curtail any right or guarantee. (Art. 45)
- SpanishLa enunciación de los derechos y garantías contenidos en esta Constitución no debe entenderse como negación de otros que, siendo inherentes a la personalidad humana, no figuren expresamente en ella. La falta de ley reglamentaria no podrá ser invocada para negar ni para menoscabar algún derecho o garantía. (Art. 45)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- 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
- 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
- English1. Individual freedoms and guarantees may be temporarily suspended or restricted only in the event of a declaration of a state of war, of a state of siege, or of a state of emergency, in accordance with the terms of the Constitution.
2. Whenever there is a suspension or restriction of freedoms or guarantees, such suspension or restriction shall be general and abstract, and the duration and the legal grounds on which it is founded shall be specified. (Art. 72) - Portuguese1. As liberdades e garantias individuais só podem ser suspensas ou limitadas temporariamente em virtude de declaração do estado de guerra, do estado de sítio ou do estado de emergência nos termos estabelecidos na Constituição.
2. Sempre que se verifique suspensão ou limitação de liberdades ou de garantias, elas têm um carácter geral e abstracto e devem especificar a duração e a base legal em que assenta. (Art. 72)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English(1) An Act to which this section applies may expressly declare that it shall have effect even though inconsistent with sections 4 and 5 and if any such Act does so declare, it shall have effect accordingly unless the Act is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a society that has a proper respect for the rights and freedoms of the individual.
(2) An Act to which this section applies is one the Bill for which has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and at the final vote thereon in each House has been supported by the votes of not less than three-fifths of all the members of that House.
(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) the number of members of the Senate shall, notwithstanding the appointment of temporary members in accordance with section 44, be deemed to be the number of members specified in section 40(l). (Sec. 13)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- 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 –
…
(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 –
…
(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
- 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.
…
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
- English
The declaration of war is authorized by the National Assembly.
The rights and duties of the citizens, during war or in case of invasion or of attack of the national territory by forces from the exterior, are made the object of an organic law. (Art. 70) - French
La déclaration de guerre est autorisée par l'Assemblée nationale.
Les droits et devoirs des citoyens, pendant la guerre ou en cas d'invasion ou d'attaque du territoire national par des forces de l'extérieur, font l'objet d'une loi organique. (Art. 70)
Limitations and/or Derogations
- English…
2. The restrictions of fundamental rights and freedoms may not exceed the restrictions stipulated by the international treaties of the Republic of Armenia. (Art. 81) - Armenian…
2. Հիմնական իրավունքների և ազատությունների սահմանափակումները չեն կարող գերազանցել Հայաստանի Հանրապետության միջազգային պայմանագրերով սահմանված սահմանափակումները: (Հոդված 81)