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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…
(5) The State shall actively promote the integration of the peoples of Ghana and prohibit discrimination and prejudice on the grounds of place of origin, circumstances of birth, ethnic origin, gender or religion, creed or other beliefs.
(6) Towards the achievement of the objectives stated in clause (5) of this article, the State shall take appropriate measures to—
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(b) achieve reasonable regional and gender balance in recruitment and appointment to public offices;
… (Art. 35)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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All human beings are equal before the law. Men and Women are equal in right [droit].
The law promotes [favorise] the equal access of women and men to the mandates and functions.
… (Art. 7) - French
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Tous les êtres humains sont égaux devant la loi. Les hommes et les femmes sont égaux en droit.
La loi favorise l’égal accès des femmes et des hommes aux mandats et fonctions.
... (Art. 7)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to equal protection under the law.
(2) Except as expressly authorised under the provisions of this Constitution, no law and no executive or administrative action of the State shall, either expressly or in its practical application, subject any person or persons to any disability or restriction or confer on any person or persons any privilege or advantage on grounds only of descent, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, social origin, place of birth, family status, or any of them.
(3) Nothing in this Article shall –
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(b) Prevent the making of any provision for the protection or advancement of women or children or of any socially or educationally retarded class of persons.
… (Art. 15) - Samoan(1) E tutusa tagata uma i luma o le tulafono ma e tofu tatau ona maua le puipuiga tutusa i lalo o le tulafono.
(2) Vagana ai e pei ona faatagaina manino e lenei Faavae, e leai se tulafono ma e leai se gaoioiga a le Malo tau le pulega faatonu po o le tausiga o le a, po o lona faamatalaina manino ai pe faatino mai ai se mafatiaga o so o se tagata po o ni tagata i so o se itu e le mafai ai po o le faasaina po o le tuuina atu i so o se tagata po o ni tagata so o se tulaga aloaia po o le tulaga taugamalie ona o le avea ma mafuaaga lona tupuaga, tane pe se fafine, gagana, lotu, taofi tau upu fai o malo po o se isi lava taofi, mafuaaga faale-vafealoai, nuu na fanau ai, tulaga faale-aiga, po o nisi lava o ia mea.
(3) E leai se mea i lenei Mataupu o le a:
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(e) taofia ai o le faia o so o se aiaiga mo le puipuiga po o le faagasologa i luma o fafine po o tamaiti po o le vasega o tagata ua telegese le gasologa i luma o lo latou tulaga tau le vafealoai po o le aoaoina.
… (Mataupu 15)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe woman has the same rights as the man.
The law guarantees parity and assures the promotion as well as the representativeness of women in all political, elective and administrative functions. (Art. 17) - FrenchLa femme a les mêmes droits que l’homme.
La loi garantit la parité et assure la promotion ainsi que la représentativité de la femme à toutes les fonctions politiques, électives et administratives. (Art. 17)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe following shall be the fundamental tasks of the State:
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e) To promote the well-being and quality of life of the Cabo Verdean people, especially the neediest, and to remove, in a progressive fashion, economic, social, cultural and political obstacles that hinder true equality of opportunity among citizens, especially factors of discrimination against women in the family and in the society;
… (Art. 7) - PortugueseSão tarefas fundamentais do Estado:
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e) Promover o bem estar e a qualidade de vida do povo cabo-verdiano, designadamente dos mais carenciados, e remover progressivamente os obstáculos de natureza económica, social, cultural e política que impedem a real igualdade de oportunidades entre os cidadãos, especialmente os factores de discriminação da mulher na família e na sociedade;
… (Art. 7)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting, inter alia, policies aimed at the following:
(a) enactment of legislation to ensure equality of opportunity for women, to enable them to participate fully in all spheres of Namibian society;
… (Art. 95)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) The proceedings of the Senate and the National Assembly are regulated by rules known as Standing Orders, which are made by the Houses individually or jointly on the recommendation of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.
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(4) Any committee established by or under Standing Orders must reflect, as closely as possible, the political and gender composition of Parliament or of the House to which the Standing Orders apply. (Sec. 139)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe direct and active participation in political life by men and women is a condition for and a fundamental instrument in the consolidation of the democratic system, and the law must promote both equality in the exercise of civic and political rights and the absence of gender-based discrimination in access to political office. (Art. 109)
- PortugueseA participação directa e activa de homens e mulheres na vida política constitui condição e instrumento fundamental de consolidação do sistema democrático, devendo a lei promover a igualdade no exercício dos direitos cívicos e políticos e a não discriminação em função do sexo no acesso a cargos políticos. (Art. 109)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
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3. In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status 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 to the extent that that law makes provision—
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e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be made subject 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.
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the making of laws in pursuance of the principle of State Policy of promoting a society based on equality and justice for all the citizens of Lesotho and thereby removing any discriminatory law.
... (Sec. 18)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Everyone has the right to freedom from discrimination on the grounds of discrimination in the Human Rights Act 1993.
(2) Measures taken in good faith for the purpose of assisting or advancing persons or groups of persons disadvantaged because of discrimination that is unlawful by virtue of Part 22 of the Human Rights Act 1993 do not constitute discrimination. (Bill of Rights Act 1990, Sec. 19)