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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.
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWhereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is indispensable for freedom, justice and peace;
Whereas the said rights include the right of the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of race, colour, ethnic origin, sex, religion, creed or social or economic status;
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Whereas we the people of Namibia -
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committed to these principles, have resolved to constitute the Republic of Namibia as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State securing to all our citizens justice, liberty, equality and fraternity,
… (Preamble)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishEveryone is equal before the law without distinction as to language, race, colour, sex, political opinion, philosophical belief, religion and sect, or any such grounds.
Men and women have equal rights. The State has the obligation to ensure that this equality exists in practice. Measures taken for this purpose shall not be interpreted as contrary to the principle of equality.
Measures to be taken for children, the elderly, disabled people, widows and orphans of martyrs as well as for the invalid and veterans shall not be considered as violation of the principle of equality.
No privilege shall be granted to any individual, family, group or class.
State organs and administrative authorities are obliged to act in compliance with the principle of equality before the law in all their proceedings. (Art. 10) - TurkishHerkes, dil, ırk, renk, cinsiyet, siyasî düşünce, felsefî inanç, din, mezhep ve benzeri sebeplerle ayırım gözetilmeksizin kanun önünde eşittir.
Kadınlar ve erkekler eşit haklara sahiptir. Devlet, bu eşitliğin yaşama geçmesini sağlamakla yükümlüdür. Bu maksatla alınacak tedbirler eşitlik ilkesine aykırı olarak yorumlanamaz.
Çocuklar, yaşlılar, özürlüler, harp ve vazife şehitlerinin dul ve yetimleri ile malul ve gaziler için alınacak tedbirler eşitlik ilkesine aykırı sayılmaz.
Hiçbir kişiye, aileye, zümreye veya sınıfa imtiyaz tanınamaz.
Devlet organları ve idare makamları bütün işlemlerinde kanun önünde eşitlik ilkesine uygun olarak hareket etmek zorundadırlar. (Madde 10)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
All persons are equal before the law and have right to equal protection. There will be no discrimination for reasons of birth, nationality, political belief, race, sex, language, religion, opinion, origin, economic position or social condition.
... (Art. 27) - Spanish
Todas las personas son iguales ante la ley y tienen derecho a igual protección. No habrá discriminación por motivos de nacimiento, nacionalidad, credo político, raza, sexo, idioma, religión, opinión, origen, posición económica o condición social.
... (Art. 27)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English1. The Republic of Vanuatu recognises, that, subject to any restrictions imposed by law on non-citizens and holders of dual citizenship who are not indigenous or naturalised citizens, all persons are entitled to the following fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual without discrimination on the grounds of race, place of origin, religious or traditional beliefs, political opinions, language or sex but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and to the legitimate public interest in defence, safety, public order, welfare and health-
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d. protection of the law;
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k. equal treatment under the law or administrative action, except that no law shall be inconsistent with this sub-paragraph insofar as it makes provision for the special benefit, welfare, protection or advancement of females, children and young persons, members of under-privileged groups or inhabitants of less developed areas.
… (Art. 5) - French1) Sous réserve des restrictions que la Loi peut imposer aux non-citoyens et aux détenteurs de la double nationalité qui ne sont pas indigènes ou citoyens naturalisés et dans le respect des droits et libertés d'autrui et de l'intérêt public légitime en matière de défense, de sécurité, d'ordre public, de prospérité et de santé, la République de Vanuatu reconnaît que toute personne, sans distinction de race, lieu d'origine, croyances religieuses ou traditionnelles, opinions politiques, langue ou sexe jouit des droits fondamentaux et les libertés individuelles suivants:
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d) la protection de la loi;
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k) un traitement égal devant la Loi ou l'action administrative, étant entendu qu'une loi ne contrevient pas aux dispositions du présent alinéa dans la mesure où elle prévoit des dispositions pour le bénéfice particulier, le bien-être, la protection ou l'amélioration des conditions des femmes, des enfants et des jeunes, des membres de catégories défavorisées, ou des habitants de zones moins développées.
... (Art. 5)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
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(2) Propagation of ethnic, regional, racial discrimination or any other form of division is punished by law. (Art. 37) - Kinyarwanda
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(2) Kwamamaza ivangura rishingiye ku isanomuzi, ku karere, ku bwoko cyangwa ku macakubiri ayo ari yo yose bihanwa n’amategeko. (Ingingo ya 37) - French
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(2) Toute propagande à caractère ethnique, régionaliste, raciste ou basée sur toute autre forme de division est punie par la loi. (Art. 37)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
(1) All nationals are equal before the law. Privileges based upon birth, sex, estate, class or religion are excluded. No one shall be discriminated against because of his disability. …
(2) The Federation, provinces and municipalities subscribe to the de-facto equality of men and women. Measures to promote factual equality of women and men, in particular by eliminating actually existing inequalities, are admissible.
(3) Official designations can be applied in such a way as to indicate the sex of the officer holder. The same holds good for titles, academic degrees and descriptions of occupations.
… (Art. 7) - German
(1) Alle Staatsbürger sind vor dem Gesetz gleich. Vorrechte der Geburt, des Geschlechtes, des Standes, der Klasse und des Bekenntnisses sind ausgeschlossen. Niemand darf wegen seiner Behinderung benachteiligt werden. …
(2) Bund, Länder und Gemeinden bekennen sich zur tatsächlichen Gleichstellung von Mann und Frau. Maßnahmen zur Förderung der faktischen Gleichstellung von Frauen und Männern insbesondere durch Beseitigung tatsächlich bestehender Ungleichheiten sind zulässig.
(3) Amtsbezeichnungen können in der Form verwendet werden, die das Geschlecht des Amtsinhabers oder der Amtsinhaberin zum Ausdruck bringt. Gleiches gilt für Titel, akademische Grade und Berufsbezeichnungen.
… (Art. 7)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4),(5) and (7) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6),(7) and (8) of this section, no persons shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any persons 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 section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by sex, race, place of origin, political opinions, color or creed whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such descriptions are not made subject or are recorded privileges of advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law do far as that law makes provision-
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c. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters that is the personal law of persons of that description;
d. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any disability or restriction or may be accorded any privilege or advantage that, 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.
(5) Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards or qualifications (not being standards or qualifications specifically relating to sex, race, place or origin, political opinions, color or creed) to be required of any person who is appointed to or to act in any office or employment.
(6) Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorized to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or subsection (5) of this section.
(7) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 7,9,10,11 add 12 if this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorized by section 7(2), section 9(5)m section 10(2)m section 11(2) or paragraph (a), (b) or (h) of section 12(3), as the case may be.
(8) Nothing in subsection (2) of this section shall affect any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance of civil or criminal proceedings in any court that is vested in any person by or under this Constitution or any other law. (Sec. 13)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6), (7) and (8) of this section, 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 section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons, attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, tribe, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex 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) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
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(c) with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other matters of personal law;
(d) for the application in the case of members of a particular race, community or tribe of customary law with respect to any matter whether to the exclusion of any law in respect to that matter which is applicable in the case of other persons or not; or
(e) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section 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.
(5) Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that it makes reasonable provision with respect to qualifications for service as a public officer or as a member of a disciplined force or for the service of a local government authority or a body corporate established directly by any law.
(6) Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorized to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or (5) of this section.
(7) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 9, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorized by section 9(2), 11(5), 12(2) 13(2), or 14(3), as the case may be.
(8) Nothing in subsection (2) of this section shall affect any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance of civil or criminal proceedings in any court that is vested in any person by or under this Constitution or any other law.
(9) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with the provisions of this section-
(a) if that law was in force immediately before the coming into operation of this Constitution and has continued in force at all times since the coming into operation of this Constitution; or
(b) to the extent that the law repeals and re-enacts any provision which has been contained in any written law at all times since immediately before the coming into operation of this Constitution. (Sec. 15)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWe, the people of South Africa…
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to- …
Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; … (Preamble)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) All parties to a proceeding have equal rights before the court.
… (1993 Constitution, Art. 96) - Czech(1) Všichni účastníci řízení mají před soudem rovná práva.
… (Ústava 1993, Čl. 96)