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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.
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Human Rights Commission shall, with respect to the applications of an individual or class of persons, or on its own motion, have such powers of investigation and recommendation as are reasonably necessary for the effective promotion of the rights conferred by or under this Constitution, or any other written law but shall not exercise a judicial or legislative function and shall not be given powers so to do. (Sec. 130)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Defender of the People is the high commissioned [person] of the Chamber of the Deputies and of the Senate, designated by them for the defense of the rights of the citizens comprehended in this Fundamental Law, to which effect, he can supervise the activity of the Administration, giving account to the Chamber of the Deputies and to the Senate. (Art. 122)
- SpanishEl Defensor del Pueblo es el alto comisionado de la Cámara de los Diputados y del Senado, designado por éstas para la defensa de los derechos de los ciudadanos comprendidos en esta Ley Fundamental, a cuyo efecto, podrá supervisar la actividad de la Administración, dando cuenta a la Cámara de los Diputados y al Senado. (Art. 122)
- FrenchLe Défenseur du peuple est le haut-commissaire, désigné par la Chambre des députés et le Sénat, chargé de la défense des droits des citoyens consacrés par la présente Loi fondamentale et, à cette fin, il est habilité à superviser l'activité de l'administration avec obligation d'en rendre compte à la Chambre des députés et au Sénat. (Art. 122)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe powers of the Office of the Public Defender, in addition to those established in the Constitution and the law, are the following:
1. To file actions of Unconstitutionality, of Liberty, of Constitutional Protection, of Protection of Privacy, Popular actions, actions for Compliance and the direct appeal of nullity, without the requirement of having a mandate.
2. To present bills and modifications of laws, decrees and non-judicial resolutions in matters of its competence.
3. To investigate, on its own or at the request of a party, the acts or omissions that imply violations of rights, individual and collective, that are established in the Constitution, laws and international instruments, and request that the Public Ministry initiate the corresponding legal actions.
4. To request information from the authorities and public servants with respect to the investigations that the Public Defender is carrying out, to which no objection may be posed.
5. To formulate recommendations, reminders of legal duties, and suggestions for the immediate adoption of corrective measures for all the organs and institutions of the State, and to issue public censure for acts or behavior contrary to these formulations.
6. To have free access to the center of detention and prisons, to which no one may pose an objection.
7. To exercise its functions without interruption of any kind, even in the case of a declaration of a state of emergency.
8. To attend to the persons who request its services promptly and without discrimination.
9. To draft the regulations needed for the exercise of its functions. (Art. 222) - SpanishSon atribuciones de la Defensoría del Pueblo, además de las que establecen la Constitución y la ley:
1. Interponer las acciones de Inconstitucionalidad, de Libertad, de Amparo Constitucional, de Protección de Privacidad, Popular, de Cumplimiento y el recurso directo de nulidad, sin necesidad de mandato.
2. Presentar proyectos de ley y proponer modificaciones a leyes, decretos y resoluciones no judiciales en materia de su competencia.
3. Investigar, de oficio o a solicitud de parte, los actos u omisiones que impliquen violación de los derechos, individuales y colectivos, que se establecen en la Constitución, las leyes y los instrumentos internacionales, e instar al Ministerio Público al inicio de las acciones legales que correspondan.
4. Solicitar a las autoridades y servidores públicos información respecto a las investigaciones que realice la Defensoría del Pueblo, sin que puedan oponer reserva alguna.
5. Formular recomendaciones, recordatorios de deberes legales, y sugerencias para la inmediata adopción de correctivos y medidas a todos los órganos e instituciones del Estado, y emitir censura pública por actos o comportamientos contrarios a dichas formulaciones.
6. Acceder libremente a los centros de detención e internación, sin que pueda oponerse objeción alguna.
7. Ejercer sus funciones sin interrupción de ninguna naturaleza, aun en caso de declaratoria de estado de excepción.
8. Asistir con prontitud y sin discriminación a las personas que soliciten sus servicios.
9. Elaborar los reglamentos necesarios para el ejercicio de sus funciones. (Art. 222)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Civic Defender shall be independent state body who shall protect citizens' rights and monitor the work of public administration bodies, body in charge of legal protection of proprietary rights and interests of the Republic of Serbia, as well as other bodies and organizations, companies and institutions to which public powers have been delegated.
The Civic Defender shall not be authorized to monitor the work of the National Assembly, President of the Republic, Government, Constitutional Court, courts and Public Prosecutor's Offices.
The Civic Defender shall be elected and dismissed by the National Assembly, in accordance with the Constitution and Law.
… (Art. 138) - Serbian CyrillicЗаштитник грађана је независан државни орган који штити права грађана и контролише рад органа државне управе, органа надлежног за правну заштиту имовинских права и интереса Републике Србије, као и других органа и организација, предузећа и установа којима су поверена јавна овлашћења.
Заштитник грађана није овлашћен да контролише рад Народне скупштине, председника Републике, Владе, Уставног суда, судова и јавних тужилаштава.
Заштитника грађана бира и разрешава Народна скупштина, у складу са Уставом и законом.
... (Члан 138)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) The South African Human Rights Commission must—
(a) promote respect for human rights and a culture of human rights;
(b) promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights; and
(c) monitor and assess the observance of human rights in the Republic.
(2) The South African Human Rights Commission has the powers, as regulated by national legislation, necessary to perform its functions, including the power—
(a) to investigate and to report on the observance of human rights;
(b) to take steps to secure appropriate redress where human rights have been violated;
(c) to carry out research; and
(d) to educate.
… (Sec. 184)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English
National human rights institutions shall supplement the existing forms and means of protecting human rights and freedoms, promote the development of civil society and enhance the culture of human rights.
The State shall create conditions for organising the activity of national institutions of human rights. (Art. 56) - Uzbek
Inson huquqlari bo‘yicha milliy institutlar inson huquqlari va erkinliklarini himoya qilishning mavjud shakllari hamda vositalarini to‘ldiradi, fuqarolik jamiyatini rivojlantirishga va inson huquqlari madaniyatini yuksaltirishga ko‘maklashadi.
Davlat inson huquqlari bo‘yicha milliy institutlar faoliyatini tashkil etish uchun shart-sharoitlar yaratadi. (56-modda)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English…
B. The Congress of the Union and the legislatures of the federative entities within the domain [ámbito] of their respective competencies, will establish organs of protection of the human rights that the Mexican juridical order protects [ampara], those that will take cognizance of complaints [quejas] against the acts or omissions of a nature of administrative provenance of any public authority or servant, with the exception of those of the Judicial Power of the Federation, that violate those rights.
The organs [organismos] to which the previous paragraph refers, shall formulate public recommendations, non-binding, [and] denouncements and complaints [quejas] before the respective authorities. Any public servant is obligated to respond to the recommendations that these organs [organismos] present. When the enacted recommendations are not accepted[,] or complied with[,] by the public authorities or servants, they must substantiate, motivate and make public their refusal [negativa]; additionally, the Chamber of Senators or in its recesses the Permanent Commission, or the legislatures of the federative entities, as it corresponds, may summon [llamar], at the request of these organs [organismos], the public authorities or servants responsible to appear before these legislative organs, to the effect of explaining the motive for the refusal.
These organs [organismos] will not be competent concerning electoral and jurisdictional matters.
The organs [organismo] that the Congress of the Union establishes will be denominated the Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos [National Commission of Human Rights]; it will have autonomy of management and budgetary [autonomy], juridical personality and its own patrimony.
…
The National Commission of Human Rights will have a Consultative Commission composed of twelve councilors that will be elected by the vote of the two-thirds part of the members present of the Chamber of Senators or, in its recesses, by the Permanent Commission of the Congress of the Union, with the same qualified vote.
…
The National Commission of Human Rights shall take cognizance of the non-conformities that are presented to it concerning the recommendations, agreements or omission of the equivalent organs [organismos] in the federative entities.
The National Commission of Human Rights may investigate acts that constitute grave violations of human rights, when it so judges [as] appropriate or [when] the Federal Executive, either of the Chambers of the Congress of the Union, the titular [members] of the executive powers of the federative entities or the Legislatures of these require it. (Art. 102) - Spanish…
B. El Congreso de la Unión y las legislaturas de las entidades federativas, en el ámbito de sus respectivas competencias, establecerán organismos de protección de los derechos humanos que ampara el orden jurídico mexicano, los que conocerán de quejas en contra de actos u omisiones de naturaleza administrativa provenientes de cualquier autoridad o servidor público, con excepción de los del Poder Judicial de la Federación, que violen estos derechos.
Los organismos a que se refiere el párrafo anterior, formularán recomendaciones públicas, no vinculatorias, denuncias y quejas ante las autoridades respectivas. Todo servidor público está obligado a responder las recomendaciones que les presenten estos organismos. Cuando las recomendaciones emitidas no sean aceptadas o cumplidas por las autoridades o servidores públicos, éstos deberán fundar, motivar y hacer pública su negativa; además, la Cámara de Senadores o en sus recesos la Comisión Permanente, o las legislaturas de las entidades federativas, según corresponda, podrán llamar, a solicitud de estos organismos, a las autoridades o servidores públicos responsables para que comparezcan ante dichos órganos legislativos, a efecto de que expliquen el motivo de su negativa.
Estos organismos no serán competentes tratándose de asuntos electorales y jurisdiccionales.
El organismo que establezca el Congreso de la Unión se denominará Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos; contará con autonomía de gestión y presupuestaria, personalidad jurídica y patrimonio propios.
…
La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos tendrá un Consejo Consultivo integrado por diez consejeros que serán elegidos por el voto de las dos terceras partes de los miembros presentes de la Cámara de Senadores o, en sus recesos, por la Comisión Permanente del Congreso de la Unión, con la misma votación calificada.
…
La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos conocerá de las inconformidades que se presenten en relación con las recomendaciones, acuerdos u omisiones de los organismos equivalentes en las entidades federativas.
La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos podrá investigar hechos que constituyan violaciones graves de derechos humanos, cuando así lo juzgue conveniente o lo pidiere el Ejecutivo Federal, alguna de las Cámaras del Congreso de la Unión, los titulares de los poderes ejecutivos de las entidades federativas o las Legislaturas de éstas. (Art. 102)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe Defender of Rights shall ensure the due respect of rights and freedoms by state administrations, territorial communities, public legal entities, as well as by all bodies carrying out a public service mission or by those that the Institutional Act decides fall within his remit.
Referral may be made to the Defender of Rights, in the manner determined by an Institutional Act, by every person who considers his rights to have been infringed by the operation of a public service or of a body mentioned in the first paragraph. He may act without referral.
…
The Defender of Rights shall be appointed by the President of the Republic for a six-year, non-renewable term,
… (1958 Constitution, Art. 71-1) - FrenchLe Défenseur des droits veille au respect des droits et libertés par les administrations de l'État, les collectivités territoriales, les établissements publics, ainsi que par tout organisme investi d'une mission de service public, ou à l'égard duquel la loi organique lui attribue des compétences.
Il peut être saisi, dans les conditions prévues par la loi organique, par toute personne s'estimant lésée par le fonctionnement d'un service public ou d'un organisme visé au premier alinéa. Il peut se saisir d'office.
…
Le Défenseur des droits est nommé par le Président de la République pour un mandat de six ans non renouvelable,
… (Constitution 1958, Art. 71-1)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishIn order to be eligible as Ombudsman it is necessary:
1. To be Panamanian by birth;
2. To fully enjoy one's civil and political rights;
3. To be at least thirty five years of age;
4. Not to have been sentenced to five years in prison or more for a premeditated offense;
5. To have moral integrity and a good reputation;
6. Not to be bound by family ties, within the fourth degree of consanguinity and the second degree of marital relations, to the President of the Republic, any other Cabinet Council member, Justices of the Supreme Court of Justice or a member of the National Assembly. (Art. 130) - SpanishPara ser elegido Defensor del Pueblo se requiere:
1. Ser panameño por nacimiento.
2. Estar en pleno goce de sus derechos civiles y políticos.
3. Haber cumplido treinta y cinco años o más de edad.
4. No haber sido condenado por delito doloso con pena privativa de la libertad de cinco años o más.
5. Tener solvencia moral y prestigio reconocido.
6. No tener parentesco, dentro del cuarto grado de consaguinidad y segundo de afinidad, con el Presidente de la República, con ningún otro miembro del Consejo de Gabinete, con Magistrados de la Corte Suprema de Justicia ni con Diputados de la República. (Art. 130)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe essential function of the Defender of the People is to contribute to safeguard the fundamental rights of people and the collective and diffuse interests established in this Constitution and the law, in case of their being violated by officials or organs of the State, by lenders of public or individual services that affect collective and diffuse interests. The law shall regulate that which is related to its organization and functioning. (Art. 191)
- SpanishLa función esencial del Defensor del Pueblo es contribuir a salvaguardar los derechos fundamentales de las personas y los intereses colectivos y difusos establecidos en esta Constitución y las leyes, en caso de que sean violados por funcionarios u órganos del Estado, por prestadores de servicios públicos o particulares que afecten intereses colectivos y difusos. La ley regulará lo relativo a su organización y funcionamiento. (Art. 191)