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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)
- English
The State commits to protect the acquired rights of women and sees to consolidating and promoting them.
The State guarantees equal opportunities [chances] between men and women for access to the divers responsibilities and in all domains.
The State works towards consecrating parity between women and men in the elected assemblies.
… (Art. 51) - Arabic
تلتزم الدّولة بحماية الحقوق المكتسبة للمرأة وتعمل على دعمها وتطويرها.
تضمن الدّولة تكافؤ الفرص بين الرّجل والمرأة في تحمّل مختلف المسؤوليّات وفي جميع المجالات.
تسعى الدّولة إلى تحقيق التّناصف بين المرأة والرّجل في المجالس المنتخبة.
... (الفصل 51) - French
L’État s’engage à protéger les droits acquis de la femme et veille à les consolider et à les promouvoir.
L’État garantit l’égalité des chances entre l’homme et la femme pour l’accès aux diverses responsabilités et dans tous les domaines.
L’État s’emploie à consacrer la parité entre la femme et l’homme dans les assemblées élues.
... (Art. 51)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
(2) No law enacted by any authority in the United Republic shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(4) No person shall be discriminated against by any person or any authority acting under any law or in the discharge of the functions or business of any state office.
(5) For the purposes of this Article the expression “discriminate” means to satisfy the needs, rights or other requirements of different persons on the basis of their nationality, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, sex or station in life such that certain categories of people are regarded as weak or inferior and are subjected to restrictions or conditions whereas persons of other categories are treated differently or are accorded opportunities or advantage outside the specified conditions or the prescribed necessary qualifications except that the word “discrimination” shall not be construed in a manner that will prohibit the Government from taking purposeful steps aimed at rectifying disabilities in the society.
… (Art. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishAll the citizens of majority, enjoying their civil and political rights[,] are electors and eligible. The law provides [prévoit] the provisions of [a] nature encouraging the equal access of women and men to the elective functions.
… (Art. 30) - Arabicلكل مواطنة و مواطن، الحق في التصويت، وفي الترشح للانتخابات، شرط بلوغ سن الرشد القانونية، والتمتع بالحقوق المدنية والسياسية. وينص القانون على مقتضيات من شأنها تشجيع تكافؤ الفرص بين النساء والرجال في ولوج الوظائف الانتخابية.
… (الفصل30)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) The State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level must endeavour to facilitate rapid and equitable development, and in particular must take measures to—
(a) promote private initiative and self-reliance;
(b) foster agricultural, commercial, industrial, technological and scientific development;
(c) foster the development of industrial and commercial enterprises in order to empower Zimbabwean citizens; and
(d) bring about balanced development of the different areas of Zimbabwe, in particular a proper balance in the development of rural and urban areas.
(2) Measures referred to in this section must involve the people in the formulation and implementation of development plans and programmes that affect them.
(3) Measures referred to in this section must protect and enhance the right of the people, particularly women, to equal opportunities in development.
… (Sec. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(3) Members must be appointed or elected to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders as soon as possible after the beginning of the first session of each Parliament, and they must be selected so that the committee reflects as nearly as possible the political and gender composition of the combined Houses of Parliament.
… (Sec. 151)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
…
The law favors the equal access of women and of men to the electoral mandates and elective functions. (Art. 3) - Arabic
…
يحبذ القانون الوصول المتكافي للمرأة والرجل إلى الولايات والوظائف الانتخابية. (المادّة 3) - French
…
La loi favorise l’égal accès des femmes et des hommes aux mandats électoraux et fonctions électives. (Art. 3)
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)
- English1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, the State shall take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom, for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them.
2. Laws, cultures, customs and traditions which are against the dignity, welfare or interest of women or any other marginalised group to which clause (1) relates or which undermine their status, are prohibited by this Constitution.
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5. Parliament shall make laws for the purpose of giving full effect to this article. (Art. 32)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe members of the Government make or propose the appointments in the public administration and to the diplomatic posts taking into account the necessity to maintain an ethnic, regional, political and gender equilibrium. (Art. 140)
- KirundiAbagize Leta nibo bagena canke bagashikiriza abagenwa mu mabanga y’intwaro mu gihugu hamwe n’abaserukira Uburundi mu makungu bisunze kunganisha amoko, intara, imigambwe n’ibitsina. (Ingingo ya 140)
- FrenchLes membres du Gouvernement font ou proposent les nominations dans l’administration publique et aux postes diplomatiques en prenant en compte la nécessité de maintenir un équilibre ethnique, régional, politique et entre les genres. (Art. 140)
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)