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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.
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
…
Reaffirming our adherence and our attachment to the Conventions of the United Nations on the Rights of the Child and on the Rights of Women, particularly to the objective of the parity of man-woman representation within the institutions of the country as well as to the international instruments concerning the protection and promotion of human rights;
… (Preamble)3 - French
…
Réaffirmant notre adhésion et notre attachement à la Déclaration Universelle des Droits de l’Homme, à la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples, aux Conventions des Nations Unies sur les Droits de l’Enfant et sur les Droits de la Femme, particulièrement à l’objectif de la parité de représentation homme-femme au sein des institutions du pays ainsi qu’aux instruments internationaux relatifs à la protection et à la promotion des droits humains;
… (Préambule)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law.
(2) Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and fundamental freedoms.
(3) Women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
(4) The State shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground, including race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth.
(5) A person shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against another person on any of the grounds specified or contemplated in clause (4).
(6) To give full effect to the realisation of the rights guaranteed under this Article, the State shall take legislative and other measures, including affirmative action3 programmes and policies designed to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination.
(7) Any measure taken under clause (6) shall adequately provide for any benefits to be on the basis of genuine need.
(8) In addition to the measures contemplated in clause (6), the State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. (Art. 27) - Swahili(1) Watu wote ni sawa mbele ya sheria, na wanayo haki, bila ya ubaguzi wowote, kulindwa na kupata haki sawa mbele ya sheria.
(2) Haki sawa ni pamoja na kurufahia kikamilifu na kwa usawa haki zote na uhuru wa msingi.
(3) Wanawake na wanaume wana haki ya kutendewa kwa usawa, ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kuwa na fursa sawa katika nyanja za kisiasa, kiuchumi, kiutamaduni na kijamii.
(4) Serikali haitambagua mtu yeyote kwa dhahiri au si kwa dhahiri kwa msingi wowote ikiwa ni pamoja na mbari, jinsi, mimba, hali ya ndoa, hali ya afya, asili ya kikabila au kijamii, rangi, umri, ulemavu, dini, dhamiri, imani, utamaduni, mavazi, lugha au kuzaliwa.
(5) Mtu yeyote hatambagua mtu yeyote kwa dhahiri ama si kwa dhahiri kwa misingi yoyote iliyobaisnishwa katika ibara ya (4).
(6) Ili kutekeleza kikamilifu utekelezaji wa haki zilizohakikishwa chini ya Ibara hii, Serikali itachukua hatua za kisheria na hatua nyinginezo, pamoja na mipango na sera thabiti za utekelezaji zilizoundwa ili kufidia unyimwaji wa haki ambao uliwapata watu au kikundi cha watu kwa sababu ya ubaguzi wa zamani.
(7) Hatua yoyote inayochukuliwa chini ya ibara ya (6) itatoa kikamilifu maslahi kwa msingi wa hitaji la kweli.
(8) Pamoja na hatua zilizobainishwa katika ibara ya (6), Serikali itachukua hatua za kisheria na hatua nyinginezo ili kutekeleza kanuni ambayo itahakikisha kwamba washirika wa bodi wa kuchaguliwa au kuteuliwa wa jinsia moja hawatakuwa zaidi ya theluthi mbili. (Kifungu cha 27)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishAn organic law establishes notably:
• the conditions of democratic management of their affairs by the regions and the other territorial collectivities, the number of members of their councils, the rules relative to the eligibility, to the incompatibilities and to the case of the interdiction of accumulation of mandates, as well as the electoral regime and the provisions designed [visant] to assure the better participation of women within these councils;
… (Art. 146) - Arabicتحدد بقانون تنظيمي بصفة خاصة:
• شروط تدبير الجهات والجماعات الترابية الأخرى لشؤونها بكيفية ديمقراطية، وعدد أعضاء مجالسها، والقواعد المتعلقة بأهلية الترشيح، وحالات التنافي، وحالات منع الجمع بين الانتدابات، وكذا النظام الانتخابي، وأحكام تحسين تمثيلية النساء داخل المجالس المذكورة،
... (الفصل 146)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Women have the right to equal treatment with men and that right shall include equal opportunities in political, economic and social activities.
(2) Subject to the availability of resources, the Government shall provide facilities and opportunities necessary to enhance the welfare of women to enable them to realise their full potential and advancement.
… (Sec. 28)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (4), (5), and (7), no law shall make provision which is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(3) In this section the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, tribe, sex, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed 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) Subsection (1) shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision—
…
g. whereby persons of any such description as mentioned in subsection (3) 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;
… (Sec. 27)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Lesotho shall adopt policies aimed at promoting a society based on equality and justice for all its citizens regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
2. In particular, the State shall take appropriate measures in order to promote equality of opportunity for the disadvantaged groups in the society to enable them to participate fully in all spheres of public life. (Sec. 26)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(3) Every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as their nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability or economic or social status, or whether they were born in or out of wedlock.
…
(6) The State must take reasonable legislative and other measures to promote the achievement of equality and to protect or advance people or classes of people who have been disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, and—
(a) such measures must be taken to redress circumstances of genuine need;
(b) no such measure is to be regarded as unfair for the purposes of subsection (3). (Sec. 56)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
(2) Nothing contained in Article 10 hereof shall prevent Parliament from enacting legislation providing directly or indirectly for the advancement of persons within Namibia who have been socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged by past discriminatory laws or practices, or for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalances in the Namibian society arising out of discriminatory laws or practices, or for achieving a balanced structuring of the public service, the defence force, the police force, and the correctional service.
(3) In the enactment of legislation and the application of any policies and practices contemplated by Sub-Article (2) hereof, it shall be permissible to have regard to the fact that women in Namibia have traditionally suffered special discrimination and that they need to be encouraged and enabled to play a full, equal and effective role in the political, social, economic and cultural life of the nation. (Art. 23)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) All persons shall be equal before the law.
(2) A person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
(3) For the purposes of this article, "discriminate" means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, gender, occupation, religion or creed, whereby persons of one description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another description which are not granted of persons of another description are not made subject or are granted privileges or advantages which are not granted to persons of another description.
(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are reasonably necessary to provide-
(a) for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalance in the Ghanaian society;
...
(d) for making different provision for different communities having regard to their special circumstances not being provision which is inconsistent with the spirit of this Constitution.
... (Art. 17)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State shall ensure the achievement of equality between women and men in all civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
The State shall take the necessary measures to ensure the appropriate representation of women in the houses of representatives, as specified by Law. The State shall also guarantee women’s right of holding public and senior management offices in the State and their appointment in judicial bodies and authorities without discrimination.
… (Art. 11) - Arabicتكفل الدّولة تحقيق المساواة بين المرأة والرجل فى جميع الحقوق المدنية والسياسية والاقتصاديّة والاجتماعيّة والثقافيّة وفقا لأحكام هذا الدّستور.
وتعمل الدّولة على اتخاذ التّدابير الكفيلة بضمان تمثيل المرأة تمثيلاً مناسبا فى المجالس النيابية، على النحو الذي يحدّده القانون، كما تكفل للمرأة حقّها فى تولّى الوظائف العامّة ووظائف الإدارة العليا فى الدّولة والتّعيين فى الجهات والهيئات القضائية، دون تمييز ضدّها.
... (المادّة 11)