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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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Limitations and/or Derogations
Namibia
- English(1) Save in so far as it may be authorised to do so by this Constitution, Parliament or any subordinate legislative authority shall not make any law, and the Executive and the agencies of Government shall not take any action which abolishes or abridges the fundamental rights and freedoms conferred by this Chapter, and any law or action in contravention thereof shall to the extent of the contravention be invalid: provided that:
(a) a competent Court, instead of declaring such law or action to be invalid, shall have the power and the discretion in an appropriate case to allow Parliament, any subordinate legislative authority, or the Executive and the agencies of Government, as the case may be, to correct any defect in the impugned law or action within a specified period, subject to such conditions as may be specified by it. In such event and until such correction, or until the expiry of the time limit set by the Court, whichever be the shorter, such impugned law or action shall be deemed to be valid;
(b) any law which was in force immediately before the date of Independence shall remain in force until amended, repealed or declared unconstitutional. If a competent Court is of the opinion that such law is unconstitutional, it may either set aside the law, or allow Parliament to correct any defect in such law, in which event the provisions of Sub-Article (a) hereof shall apply.
... (Art. 25)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Andorra
- English...
2. Under a state of alarm the exercise of the rights recognised in articles 21 and 27 may be limited. Under a state of emergency the rights covered by articles 9.2, 12, 15, 16, 19 and 21 may be suspended. The application of this suspension to the rights covered in articles 9.2 and 15 must be effected under the control of the judiciary notwithstanding the procedure of protection established in article 9.3. (Art. 42) - Catalan...
2. Durant l'estat d'alarma es pot limitar l'exercici dels drets reconeguts en els articles 21 i 27. Durant l'estat d'emergència poden ésser suspesos els drets recollits en els articles 9.2, 12, 15, 16, 19 i 21. L'aplicació d'aquesta suspensió als drets continguts en els articles 9.2 i 15 s'ha de dur a terme sempre sota control judicial i sense perjudici del procediment de protecció establert a l'article 9.3. (Art. 42)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
- EnglishThe recitation of rights and guarantees contained in this Constitution and in international instruments concerning human rights are not to be understood as negating others inherent to individuals, not expressly mentioned in such recitation. The absence of a law regulating these rights shall not adversely affect the exercise thereof. (Art. 22)
- SpanishLa enunciación de los derechos y garantías contenidos en esta Constitución y en los instrumentos internacionales sobre derechos humanos no debe entenderse como negación de otros que, siendo inherentes a la persona, no figuren expresamente en ellos. La falta de ley reglamentaria de estos derechos no menoscaba el ejercicio de los mismos. (Art. 22)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Equatorial Guinea
- English1. The President of the Republic, when the circumstances demand it, can declare by way of decree the state of alarm, the state of exception or that of siege, informing the Chamber of the Deputies and the Senate.
2. The proclamation of the state of alarm, of exception or of siege must expressly determine the effects of it and, the territorial scope to which its duration is extended.
3. The law regulates the states of alarm, of exception and of siege, as well as the corresponding competences and limitations.
4. While any of the states comprehended in this Article have been declared[,] the dissolution of the Chambers of Parliament may not proceed.
5. For the creation [actuaci6n] of armed bands or of terrorist elements, with the necessary judicial intervention and the adequate parliamentary control, the rights and guarantees recognized in this Fundamental Law can be suspended in individual or collective form for specific persons[,] in accordance with the Law. (Art. 44) - Spanish1. El Presidente de la República, cuando las circunstancias lo demanden, podrá declarar mediante decreto el estado de alarma, el estado de excepción o de sitio, informándolo a la Cámara de los Diputados y al Senado.
2. La proclamación del estado de alarma, de excepción o de sitio deberá determinar expresamente los efectos del mismo y el ámbito territorial a que se extiende su duración.
3. La ley regula los estados de alarma, de excepción y de sitio, así como las competencias y limitaciones correspondientes.
4. No podrá proceder a la disolución de las Cámaras del Parlamento mientras están declarados algunos de los estados comprendidos en el presente artículo.
5. Por la actuación de bandas armadas o de elementos terroristas, con la necesaria intervención judicial y el adecuado control parlamentario, los derechos y garantías reconocidos en la Ley Fundamental podrán ser suspendidos de forma individual o colectiva para personas determinadas conforme a la Ley. (Art. 44) - FrenchLe Président de la République peut, lorsque les circonstances l'exigent, déclarer par décret l'état d'alarme, l'état d'exception ou de siège, en informant la Chambre des députés et le Sénat.
2. La proclamation d'un état d'alarme, d'urgence ou de siège contiendra la détermination expresse de ses effets et de sa portée territoriale.
3. La loi définit le régime des états d'alarme, d'urgence et de siège, ainsi que les compétences et les limites qui s'y rapportent.
4. La dissolution des chambres du Parlement ne pourra être prononcée tant que durent les états d'urgence visés au présent article.
5. Les droits et garanties reconnus aux personnes dans la Loi fondamentale pourront être suspendus individuellement ou collectivement conformément à la loi, en raison de l'action de bandes armées ou de factions terroristes, la nécessaire intervention du pouvoir judiciaire et l'exercice adéquat du contrôle parlementaire étant garantis. (Art. 44)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Sierra Leone
- EnglishWhereas every person in Sierra Leone is entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, has the right, whatever his race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following—
a. life, liberty, security of person, the enjoyment of property, and the protection of law;
b. freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and association;
c. respect for private and family life, and
d. protection from deprivation of property without compensation;
the subsequent provisions of this Chapter3 shall have effect for the purpose of affording protection to the aforesaid rights and freedoms, subject to such limitations of that protection as are contained in those provisions, being limitations designed to ensure that the enjoyment of the said rights and freedoms by any individual does not prejudice the rights and freedoms of others, or the public interest. (Sec. 15)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Estonia
- English…
When exercising his or her rights and freedoms and fulfilling his or her duties, everyone must respect and observe the rights and freedoms of others, and obey the law. (Sec. 19) - Estonian…
Igaüks peab oma õiguste ja vabaduste kasutamisel ning kohustuste täitmisel austama ja arvestama teiste inimeste õigusi ja vabadusi ning järgima seadust. (§ 19)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Bahrain
- EnglishIt is impermissible to suspend any provision of this Constitution except during the proclamation of martial law, and within the limits prescribed by the law. It is not permissible under any circumstances to suspend the convening of the Consultative Council or the Chamber of Deputies during that period or to infringe upon the immunity of their members, or during the proclamation of a state of national safety. (Art. 123)
- Arabicلا يجوز تعطيل أي حكم من أحكام هذا الدستور إلا أثناء إعلان الأحكام العرفية، وذلك في الحدود التي يــبينها القانون. ولا يجوز بأي حال تعطيل انعقاد مجلس الشورى أو مجلس النواب أو المساس بحصانة أعضائه في تلك الأثناء، أو أثناء إعلان حالة السلامة الوطنية. (المادّة 123)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Ghana
- English…
(4) Nothing in, or done under the authority of, a law shall be held to be inconsistent with, or in contravention of, this article to the extent that the law in question makes provision—
(a) for the imposition of restrictions by order of a court, that are required in the interest of defence, public safety or public order, on the movement or residence within Ghana of any person; or
(b) for the imposition of restrictions, by order of a court, on the movement or residence within Ghana of any person either as a result of his having been found guilty of a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana or for the purposes of ensuring that he appears before a court at a later date for trial for a criminal offence or for proceedings relating to his extradition or lawful removal from Ghana; or
(c) for the imposition of restrictions that are reasonably required in the interest of defence, public safety, public health or the running of essential services, on the movement or residence within Ghana of any person or persons generally, or any class of persons; or
(d) for the imposition of restrictions on the freedom of entry into Ghana, or of movement in Ghana, of a person who is not a citizen of Ghana; or
(e) that is reasonably required for the purpose of safeguarding the people of Ghana against the teaching or propagation of a doctrine which exhibits or encourages disrespect for the nationhood of Ghana, the national symbols and emblems, or incites hatred against other members of the community;
except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority of that law is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in terms of the spirit of this Constitution.
… (Art. 21)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Tanzania, United Republic of
- English(1) The human rights and freedoms, the principles of which are set out in this Constitution, shall not be exercised by a person in a manner that causes interference with or curtailment of the rights and freedoms of other persons or of the public interest.
(2) It is hereby declared that the provisions contained in this Part4 of this Constitution which set out the principles of rights, freedom and duties, does not render unlawful any existing law or prohibit the enactment of any law or the doing of any lawful act in accordance with such law for the purposes of
(a) ensuring that the rights and freedoms of other people or of the interests of the public are not prejudiced by the wrongful exercise of the freedoms and rights of individuals;
(b) ensuring the defence, public safety, public peace, public morality, public health, rural and urban development planning, the exploitation and utilization of minerals or the increase and development of property of any other interests for the purposes of enhancing the public benefit;
(c) ensuring the execution of a judgment or order of a court given or made in any civil or criminal matter;
(d) protecting the reputation, rights and freedoms of others or the privacy of persons involved in any court proceedings, prohibiting the disclosure of confidential information or safeguarding the dignity, authority and independence of the courts;
(e) imposing restrictions, supervising and controlling the formation, management and activities of private societies and organizations in the country; or
(f) enabling any other thing to be done which promotes or preserves the national interest in general.
… (Art. 30)
Limitations and/or Derogations
Liechtenstein
- English...
2) Emergency decrees may not suspend the Constitution as a whole or individual provisions thereof but may only limit the applicability of individual provisions of the Constitution. Emergency decrees may not curtail the right of each person to life, the prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment, the prohibition of slavery and forced labour, or the principle of nulla poena sine lege. Moreover, the provisions of this article, of articles 3, 13ter, and 113, and of the Law on the Princely House may not be limited by emergency decrees. Emergency decrees shall expire at the latest six months after they have been issued. (Art. 10) - German...
2) Notverordnungen dürfen die Verfassung als Ganzes oder einzelne Bestimmungen derselben nicht aufheben, sondern nur die Anwendbarkeit einzelner Bestimmungen der Verfassung einschränken. Notverordnungen können weder das Recht eines jeden Menschen auf Leben, das Verbot der Folter und der unmenschlichen Behandlung, das Verbot der Sklaverei und der Zwangsarbeit, noch die Regel "Keine Strafe ohne Gesetz" beschränken. Überdies können die Bestimmungen dieses Artikels, des Art. 3, 13ter und 113, sowie des Hausgesetzes durch Notverordnungen nicht eingeschränkt werden. Notverordnungen treten spätestens sechs Monate nach ihrem Erlass ausser Kraft. (Art. 10)