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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
- English(1) There shall be an Ombudsman Commission, consisting of a Chief Ombudsman and two Ombudsmen.
(2) The members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Head of State, acting with, and in accordance with, the advice of an Ombudsman Appointments Committee consisting of-
(a) the Prime Minister, who shall be Chairman; and
(b) the Chief Justice; and
(c) the Leader of the Opposition; and
(d) the Chairman of the appropriate Permanent Parliamentary Committee, or, if the Chairman is not a member of the Parliament who is recognized by the Parliament as being generally committed to support the Government in the Parliament, the Deputy Chairman of that Committee; and
(e) the Chairman of the Public Services Commission.
… (Sec. 217)
National Human Rights Bodies
- 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
- English
(1) The primary functions of the Commission are—
(a) to advocate and promote respect for, and an understanding and appreciation of, human rights in New Zealand society; and
(b) to encourage the maintenance and development of harmonious relations between individuals and among the diverse groups in New Zealand society; and
(c) to promote racial equality and cultural diversity; and
(d) to promote equal employment opportunities (including pay equity); and
(e) to promote and protect the full and equal enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities.
(2) The Commission has, in order to carry out its primary functions under subsection (1), the following functions:
(a) to be an advocate for human rights and to promote and protect, by education and publicity, respect for, and observance of, human rights:
(b) to encourage and co-ordinate programmes and activities in the field of human rights:
(c) to make public statements in relation to any matter that may affect or infringe human rights (whether or not those human rights are affirmed in New Zealand domestic human rights law or international human rights law), including statements commenting on the position of the Government in relation to that matter:
(ca) to make public statements promoting an understanding of, and compliance with, this Act or the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (for example, statements promoting understanding of measures to ensure equality, of indirect discrimination, or of institutions and procedures under this Act for dealing with complaints of unlawful discrimination):
(d) to promote by research, education, and discussion a better understanding of the human rights dimensions of the Treaty of Waitangi and their relationship with domestic and international human rights law:
(e) to prepare and publish, as the Commission considers appropriate, guidelines and voluntary codes of practice for the avoidance of acts or practices that may be inconsistent with, or contrary to, this Act:
(f) to receive and invite representations from members of the public on any matter affecting human rights:
(g) to consult and co-operate with other persons and bodies concerned with the protection of human rights:
(h) to inquire generally into any matter, including any enactment or law, or any practice, or any procedure, whether governmental or non-governmental, if it appears to the Commission that the matter involves, or may involve, the infringement of human rights:
(i) to appear in or bring proceedings, in accordance with section 6 or section 92B or section 92E or section 92H or section 97:
(j) to apply to a court or tribunal, under rules of court or regulations specifying the tribunal’s procedure, to be appointed as intervener or as counsel assisting the court or tribunal, or to take part in proceedings before the court or tribunal in another way permitted by those rules or regulations, if, in the Commission’s opinion, taking part in the proceedings in that way will facilitate the performance of its functions stated in paragraph (a):
(k) to report to the Prime Minister on—
(i) any matter affecting human rights, including the desirability of legislative, administrative, or other action to give better protection to human rights and to ensure better compliance with standards laid down in international instruments on human rights:
(ii) the desirability of New Zealand becoming bound by any international instrument on human rights:
(iii) [Repealed]
(ka) to report to either or both of the Prime Minister and the Minister responsible on any existing or proposed legislation (including subordinate legislation), administrative provision, or policy of the Government that the Commission considers may affect human rights:
(kb) to promote the development of new international instruments on human rights:
(kc) to promote and monitor compliance by New Zealand with, and the reporting by New Zealand on, the implementation of international instruments on human rights ratified by New Zealand:
(l) to make public statements in relation to any group of persons in, or who may be coming to, New Zealand who are or may be subject to hostility, or who have been or may be brought into contempt, on the basis that that group consists of persons against whom discrimination is unlawful under this Act:
(m) to develop a national plan of action, in consultation with interested parties, for the promotion and protection of human rights in New Zealand:
(n) to exercise the following functions in relation to equal employment opportunities:
(i) to evaluate, through the use of benchmarks developed by the Commission, the roles that legislation, guidelines, and voluntary codes of practice play in facilitating and promoting best practice in equal employment opportunities:
(ii) to lead the development of guidelines and voluntary codes of practice to facilitate and promote best practice in equal employment opportunities (including codes that identify related rights and obligations in legislation) in accordance with paragraph (e):
(iii) to monitor and analyse progress in improving equal employment opportunities in New Zealand and to report to the Minister on the results of that monitoring and analysis:
(iv) to liaise with, and complement the work of, any trust or body that has as one of its purposes the promotion of equal employment opportunities:
(o) to exercise or perform any other functions, powers, and duties conferred or imposed on it by or under this Act or any other enactment.
(3) The Commission may, in the public interest or in the interests of a person, department, or organisation, publish reports relating generally to the exercise of its functions under this Act or to a particular inquiry by it under this Act, whether or not the matters to be dealt with in a report of that kind have been the subject of a report to the Minister or the Prime Minister. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 5)
National Human Rights Bodies
- EnglishThe functions of the Ombudsman are:
…
b. to carry out the functions relating to human rights provided by Act;
… (Art. 82B) - SamoanO galuega tauave nei a le Komesina o Sulufaiga:
…
(e) ia tauaveina galuega tauave e faasino i aia tatau faale-tagata soifua o aiaia e Tulafono;
… (Mataupu 82B)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English(1) There shall continue to be a Human Rights Commission, which shall be the same body as the Human Rights Commission established under section 4 of the Human Rights Commission Act 1977.
… (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 4)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English
1. There is to be an Ombudsman (Komesina o Sulufaiga) appointed by the Head of State acting on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly.
2. The Ombudsman is to be appointed pursuant to the selection and appointment criteria and other terms and conditions provided by Act.
… (Art. 82A) - Samoan
(1) O le a tatau ona i ai o se Komesina o Sulufaiga (Ombudsman) e tofia e Le Ao o le Malo, i le faia i luga o le fautuaga a le Fono Aoao Faitulafono.
(2) O le a tofia le Komesina o Sulufaiga e tusa ai ma taiala o filifiliga ma tofiga ma isi tuutuuga ma aiaiga o galuega ua aiaia e le Tulafono.
… (Mataupu 82A)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English1. The Ombudsman may enquire into the conduct of any person or body to which this Article applies –
a. upon receiving a complaint from a member of the public (or, if for reasons of incapacity, from his representative or a member of his family) who claims to have been the victim of an injustice as a result of particular conduct;
b. at the request of a Minister, a member of Parliament, of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs or of a Local Government Council; or
c. of his own initiative.
2. This Article shall apply to all public servants, public authorities and ministerial departments, with the exception of the President of the Republic, the Judicial Service Commission, the Supreme Court and other judicial bodies.
3. The Ombudsman may request any Minister, public servant, administrator, authority concerned or any person likely to assist him, to furnish him with information and documents needed for his enquiry.
… (Art. 62) - French1) Le Médiateur peut enquêter sur les agissements de tout fonctionnaire ou autorité publique:
a) sur plainte d'un membre du public ou, en cas d'incapacité, de son représentant ou d'un membre de sa famille, qui prétend avoir été victime d'une injustice à l'occasion de l'agissement incriminé;
b) à la demande d'un ministre, d'un membre du Parlement, du Conseil des Chefs Malvatumauri ou d'un conseil provincial; ou
c) de sa propre initiative.
2) Le présent article s'applique à l'ensemble des fonctionnaires, des autorités publiques et des départements ministériels, à l'exception du Président de la République, de la Commission de la Magistrature, de la Cour Suprême et des autres juridictions.
3) Le Médiateur peut demander à tout ministre, fonctionnaire, membre d'une administration ou à toute autre autorité concernée, ainsi qu'à toute personne susceptible de l'éclairer, de lui fournir les informations et documents nécessaires à la poursuite de son enquête.
... (Art. 62)
National Human Rights Bodies
- English1. There shall be a Banaba Island Council.
2. The powers and duties of the Banaba Island Council shall be prescribed by or under law. (Sec. 121)
National Human Rights Bodies
- 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
- English1. The Ombudsman shall be appointed, for 5 years, by the President of the Republic after consultation with the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Parliament, the leaders of the political parties represented in Parliament, the President of the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs, the Presidents of the Provincial Government Councils, and the chairmen of the Public Service Commission and the Judicial Service Commission.
2. A person shall be disqualified for appointment as Ombudsman if he is a member of Parliament, the Malvatumauri Council of Chiefs or a Provincial Government Council, if he holds any other public office, or if he exercises a position of responsibility within a political party.
... (Art. 61) - French1) Le Médiateur de Vanuatu est nommé, pour cinq ans, par le Président de la République, après consultation du Premier Ministre, du Président du Parlement, des présidents des groupes politiques constitués au sein du Parlement, du président du Conseil National des Chefs, des présidents des conseils provinciaux ainsi que des présidents des Commissions de la Fonction publique et de la Magistrature.
2) La fonction de Médiateur est incompatible avec l'appartenance au Parlement, au Conseil National des Chefs ou à un conseil provincial, et avec l'exercice de toute autre fonction publique ou d'une responsabilité au sein d'un parti politique.
... (Art. 61)