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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.
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National Human Rights Bodies
Solomon Islands
- English(1) There shall be an Ombudsman, whose office shall be a public office.
(2) The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of a committee consisting of the Speaker, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission and the Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.
… (Sec. 96)
National Human Rights Bodies
Malawi
- English1. The office of the Ombudsman may investigate any and all cases where it is alleged that a person has suffered injustice and it does not appear that there is any remedy reasonably available by way of proceedings in a court or by way of appeal from a court or where there is no other practicable remedy.
2. Notwithstanding subsection (1), the powers of the office of the Ombudsman under this section shall not oust the jurisdiction of the courts and the decisions and exercise of powers by the Ombudsman shall be reviewable by the High Court on the application of any person with sufficient interest in a case the Ombudsman has determined. (Sec. 123)
National Human Rights Bodies
Colombia
- EnglishThe Defender of the People will see to the promotion, the exercise, and the diffusion of human rights, for which he will exercise the following functions:
1. Orientating and instructing the inhabitants of the national territory and the Colombians abroad in the exercise and defense of their rights before the competent authorities or entities of a private character.
2. Disseminating the human rights and recommending the policies for teaching them.
3. Invoking the right of Habeas Corpus and interposing actions of protection [tutela], without prejudice to the right which corresponds [asiste] to interested [persons].
4. Organizing and directing the public defense in the terms that the law specifies.
5. Interposing popular actions in matters related to his competence.
6. Presenting Bills of law on matters relating to his competence.
7. Rendering reports to the Congress on the fulfillment of his functions.
8. The others that the law determines. (Art. 282) - SpanishEl Defensor del Pueblo velará por la promoción, el ejercicio y la divulgación de los derechos humanos, para lo cual ejercerá las siguientes funciones:
1. Orientar e instruir a los habitantes del territorio nacional y a los colombianos en el exterior en el ejercicio y defensa de sus derechos ante las autoridades competentes o entidades de carácter privado.
2. Divulgar los derechos humanos y recomendar las políticas para su enseñanza.
3. Invocar el derecho de Habeas Corpus e interponer las acciones de tutela, sin perjuicio del derecho que asiste a los interesados.
4. Organizar y dirigir la defensoría pública en los términos que señale la ley.
5. Interponer acciones populares en asuntos relacionados con su competencia.
6. Presentar proyectos de ley sobre materias relativas a su competencia.
7. Rendir informes al Congreso sobre el cumplimiento de sus funciones.
8. Las demás que determine la ley. (Art. 282)
National Human Rights Bodies
Paraguay
- English[The following] are duties and attributions of the Defender of the People:
1. to receive and to investigate denunciations, complaints and claims against violations of the human rights and other acts that this Constitution and the law establish;
2. to request from the authorities at their various levels, including those of the police organs and those of security in general, information for the better exercise of his functions[;] he may not be opposed by any reserve. He may have access to the places where the commission of such acts are denounced. It is also of his competence to act ex officio;
3. to issue [emitir] [a] public censure for acts or behaviors contrary to the human rights;
4. to annually report concerning his management [gestiones] to the Chambers of the Congress;
5. to prepare and to divulge reports on the situation of human rights that, in his opinion, require prompt public attention, and
6. the other duties and attributions that the law establishes. (Art. 279) - SpanishSon deberes y atribuciones del Defensor del Pueblo:
1. recibir e investigar denuncias, quejas y reclamos contra violaciones de los derechos humanos y otros hechos que establecen esta Constitución y la ley.
2. requerir de las autoridades en sus diversos niveles, incluyendo los de los órganos policiales y los de seguridad en general, información para el mejor ejercicio de sus funciones, sin que pueda oponérsele reserva alguna. Podrá acceder a los sitios donde se denuncie la comisión de tales hechos. Es también de su competencia actuar de oficio;
3. emitir censura pública por actos o comportamientos contrarios a los derechos humanos;
4. informar anualmente de sus gestiones a las Cámaras del Congreso;
5. elaborar y divulgar informes sobre la situación de los derechos humanos que, a su juicio, requieran pronta atención pública, y
6. los demás deberes y atribuciones que fije la ley. (Art. 279)
National Human Rights Bodies
Namibia
- English(1) The Ombudsman shall be appointed by Proclamation by the President on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.
… (Art. 90)
National Human Rights Bodies
Ghana
- EnglishThe office of the Ombudsman in existence immediately before the coming into force of this Constitution shall, until the President appoints the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice and his Deputies, and provision is otherwise made, continue as if it forms part of the Office of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice. (First Schedule, Transitional Provisions, Art. 11)
National Human Rights Bodies
Ecuador
- EnglishThe Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman shall have as its duties the protection and guardianship of the rights of the inhabitants of Ecuador and the defense of the rights of Ecuadorian nationals living abroad. It shall have the following attributions, in addition to those provided for by law:
1. To support, by virtue of its office or at the request of a party, the actions of protection, habeas corpus, access to public information, habeas data, noncompliance, citizen action and complaints for poor quality or improper provision of public or private services.
2. To issue measures of mandatory and immediate compliance for the protection of rights and to request trial and punishment from the competent authority for their violations.
3. To investigate and rule, in the framework of its attributions, on the deeds or omissions of natural persons or legal entities that provide public services.
4. To exercise and promote surveillance of due process of law and to immediately prevent and stop all forms of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. (Art. 215) - SpanishLa Defensoría del Pueblo tendrá como funciones la protección y tutela de los derechos de los habitantes del Ecuador y la defensa de los derechos de las ecuatorianas y ecuatorianos que estén fuera del país. Serán sus atribuciones, además de las establecidas en la ley, las siguientes:
1. El patrocinio, de oficio o a petición de parte, de las acciones de protección, hábeas corpus, acceso a la información pública, hábeas data, incumplimiento, acción ciudadana y los reclamos por mala calidad o indebida prestación de los servicios públicos o privados.
2. Emitir medidas de cumplimiento obligatorio e inmediato en materia de protección de los derechos, y solicitar juzgamiento y sanción ante la autoridad competente, por sus incumplimientos.
3. Investigar y resolver, en el marco de sus atribuciones, sobre acciones u omisiones de personas naturales o jurídicas que presten servicios públicos.
4. Ejercer y promover la vigilancia del debido proceso, y prevenir, e impedir de inmediato la tortura, el trato cruel, inhumano y degradante en todas sus formas. (Art. 215)
National Human Rights Bodies
Portugal
- English1. Citizens may submit complaints against actions or omissions by the public authorities to the Ombudsman, who shall assess them without the power to take decisions and shall send the competent entities and organs the recommendations needed to prevent or make good any injustices.
…
3. The Ombudsman is an independent entity and the Assembly of the Republic shall appoint him for the period laid down by law.
… (Art. 23) - Portuguese1. Os cidadãos podem apresentar queixas por acções ou omissões dos poderes públicos ao Provedor de Justiça, que as apreciará sem poder decisório, dirigindo aos órgãos competentes as recomendações necessárias para prevenir e reparar injustiças.
…
3. O Provedor de Justiça é um órgão independente, sendo o seu titular designado pela Assembleia da República pelo tempo que a lei determinar.
… (Art. 23)
National Human Rights Bodies
Papua New Guinea
- English(1) Subject to this section and to any Organic Law made for the purposes of Subsection (7), the functions of the Ombudsman Commission are-
(a) to investigate, on its own initiative or on complaint by a person affected, any conduct on the part of-
i. any State Service or provincial service, or a member of any such service; or
ii. any other governmental body, or an officer or employee of a governmental body; or
iii. any local government body or an officer or employee of any such body; or
iv. any other body set up by statute-
A. that is wholly or mainly supported out of public moneys of Papua New Guinea; or
B. all of, or the majority of, the members of the controlling authority of which are appointed by the National Executive, or an officer of employee of any such body; and
v. any member of the personal staff of the Governor-General, a Minister or the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Opposition; or
vi. any other body or person prescribed for the purpose by an Act of the Parliament, specified by or under an Organic Law in the exercise of a power or function vested in it or him by law in cases where the conduct is or may be wrong, taking into account, amongst other things, the National Goals and Directive Principles, the Basic Rights and the Basic Social Obligations;
… (Sec. 219)
National Human Rights Bodies
Guatemala
- EnglishThe Procurator of Human Rights has the following attributions:
a. To promote the adequate [buen] functioning and expediting [agilización] of the government administration, in matters of Human Rights;
b. To investigate and denounce [the] administrative behavior that is detrimental to the interests of persons;
c. To investigate every type of denunciations that may be brought by any person regarding the violations of Human Rights;
d. To recommend privately or publicly to the functionaries the modification of any administrative behavior objected to;
e. To issue public censure for acts or behavior against the Constitutional rights;
f. To promote actions or recourses, judicial or administrative, in those cases in which they proceed; and
g. The other functions and attributions assigned to him [or her] by the law.
The Procurator of Human Rights, of office[,] or at the instance of a person, will act with due diligence so that, during the regime of exception, the fundamental rights whose application may not have been expressly restrained may be fully guaranteed. For the fulfillment of his [or her] functions[,] every day and all hours are considered working [hours]. (Art. 275) - SpanishEl Procurador de los Derechos Humanos tiene las siguientes atribuciones:
a) Promover el buen funcionamiento y la agilización de la gestión administrativa gubernamental, en materia de Derechos Humanos;
b) Investigar y denunciar comportamientos administrativos lesivos a los intereses de las personas;
c) Investigar toda clase de denuncias que le sean planteadas por cualquier persona, sobre violaciones a los Derechos Humanos;
d) Recomendar privada o públicamente a los funcionarios la modificación de un comportamiento administrativo objetado;
e) Emitir censura pública por actos o comportamientos en contra de los derechos constitucionales;
f) Promover acciones o recursos, judiciales o administrativos, en los casos en que sea procedente; y
g) Las otras funciones y atribuciones que le asigne la ley.
El Procurador de los Derechos Humanos, de oficio o a instancia de parte, actuará con la debida diligencia para que, durante el régimen de excepción, se garanticen a plenitud los derechos fundamentales cuya vigencia no hubiere sido expresamente restringida. Para el cumplimiento de sus funciones todos los días y horas son hábiles. (Art. 275)