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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.
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe Government of the Union is composed in a manner to assure the just and equitable representation of the Islands and a just and equitable division between men and women. (Art. 61)
- Arabicتتألف حكومة الاتحاد بشكل يكفل التمثيل العادل والمتكافئ للجزر وتوزيعاً عادلاً ومنصفاً بين المرأة والرجل. (المادة 61)
- FrenchLe Gouvernement est composé de manière à assurer une représentation juste et équitable des Iles et une juste et équitable répartition entre les hommes et les femmes. (Art. 61)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) All persons are equal before and under the law in all spheres of political, economic, social and cultural life and in every other respect and shall enjoy equal protection of the law.
(2) For the avoidance of any doubt, a person shall not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(3) For the purposes of this section, “discriminate” means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, birth, tribe, creed or religion, or social or economic standing, political opinion, age or disability.
(4) Subject to the provisions of subsection (5) Parliament shall not be competent to enact a law that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
(5) Nothing in this section shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are necessary for implementing policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational or other imbalances in society. (Sec. 20)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
...
3. In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status 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) shall not apply to any law to the extent that that law makes provision—
…
e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be made subject 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.
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the making of laws in pursuance of the principle of State Policy of promoting a society based on equality and justice for all the citizens of Lesotho and thereby removing any discriminatory law.
... (Sec. 18)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
6. There shall be a substantial representation of women in the Judiciary having regard to competence, integrity, credibility and impartiality.
… (Art. 122)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Where a person is empowered to make a nomination or an appointment to a public office, that person shall ensure—
…
b. that fifty percent of each gender is nominated or appointed from the total available positions, unless it is not practicable to do so; ... (Art. 259)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The political parties and the groupings of political parties legally recognized participate [concourent] in the expression of suffrage. They form themselves and exercise their activity freely, within the framework established by the law, according to the principles of multipartism.
They contribute to the equal access of women, of men, of young [persons] and of the handicapped to the electoral mandates, within the conditions established by the law.
... (Art. 6) - French
Les partis politiques et les groupements de partis politiques légalement reconnus concourent à l'expression du suffrage. Ils se forment et exercent leur activité librement, dans le cadre fixé par la loi, selon les principes du multipartisme.
Ils contribuent à l'égal accès des femmes, des hommes, des jeunes et des handicapés aux mandats électoraux, dans les conditions fixées par la loi.
... (Art. 6)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (4), (5), and (7), no law shall make provision which is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(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, sex, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed 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) shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision—
…
g. whereby persons of any such description as mentioned in subsection (3) 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;
… (Sec. 27)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The Administration is largely representative of the Burundian Nation and must reflect the diversity of its components. The practices that it observes in the matter of employment are founded on objective and equitable criteria of aptitude as well as on the necessity to correct the disequilibrium and to assure a wide ethnic, regional and gender representation. ... (Art. 148)
- Kirundi
Mu ntwaro, abarundi bose bategerezwa kuba baserukiwe bikwiye mu budasa bwa bo. Ugutanga akazi gutegerezwa kwisunga ko abakarondera bakwije ibisabwa n’amategeko hakurikijwe ubutungane n’ukwitwararika gukosora ivyerekeye urugero rw’ingene abanyagihugu baserukirwa, bikaringanizwa mu buryo abanyagihugu bo mu moko yose, intara zose n’ibitsina baserukirwa. ... (Ingingo ya 148)
- French
L’Administration est largement représentative de la nation burundaise et doit refléter la diversité de ses composantes. Les pratiques qu’elle observe en matière d’emploi sont fondées sur des critères d’aptitude objectifs et équitables ainsi que sur la nécessité de corriger les déséquilibres et d’assurer une large représentation ethnique, régionale et de genre. ... (Art. 148)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The State works to promote parity between men and women in the labor market.
The State encourages the promotion of women to responsibilities within the public institutions and administrations as well as at the level of the enterprises. (Art. 37) - French
L’Etat œuvre à promouvoir la parité entre les hommes et les femmes sur le marché de l’emploi.
L’Etat encourage la promotion de la femme aux responsabilités dans les institutions et administrations publiques ainsi qu’au niveau des entreprises. (Art. 37)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—
(a) the State must promote the full participation of women in all spheres of Zimbabwean society on the basis of equality with men;
(b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
(i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level; and
(ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
(c) the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level must take practical measures to ensure that women have access to resources, including land, on the basis of equality with men.
(2) The State must take positive measures to rectify gender discrimination and imbalances resulting from past practices and policies. (Sec. 17)