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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(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.
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(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—
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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(1) Every person is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and equal benefit of the law.
(2) Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and fundamental freedoms.
(3) Women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.
(4) The State shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against any person on any ground, including race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, health status, ethnic or social origin, colour, age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, dress, language or birth.
(5) A person shall not discriminate directly or indirectly against another person on any of the grounds specified or contemplated in clause (4).
(6) To give full effect to the realisation of the rights guaranteed under this Article, the State shall take legislative and other measures, including affirmative action3 programmes and policies designed to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination.
(7) Any measure taken under clause (6) shall adequately provide for any benefits to be on the basis of genuine need.
(8) In addition to the measures contemplated in clause (6), the State shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender. (Art. 27) - Swahili(1) Watu wote ni sawa mbele ya sheria, na wanayo haki, bila ya ubaguzi wowote, kulindwa na kupata haki sawa mbele ya sheria.
(2) Haki sawa ni pamoja na kurufahia kikamilifu na kwa usawa haki zote na uhuru wa msingi.
(3) Wanawake na wanaume wana haki ya kutendewa kwa usawa, ikiwa ni pamoja na haki ya kuwa na fursa sawa katika nyanja za kisiasa, kiuchumi, kiutamaduni na kijamii.
(4) Serikali haitambagua mtu yeyote kwa dhahiri au si kwa dhahiri kwa msingi wowote ikiwa ni pamoja na mbari, jinsi, mimba, hali ya ndoa, hali ya afya, asili ya kikabila au kijamii, rangi, umri, ulemavu, dini, dhamiri, imani, utamaduni, mavazi, lugha au kuzaliwa.
(5) Mtu yeyote hatambagua mtu yeyote kwa dhahiri ama si kwa dhahiri kwa misingi yoyote iliyobaisnishwa katika ibara ya (4).
(6) Ili kutekeleza kikamilifu utekelezaji wa haki zilizohakikishwa chini ya Ibara hii, Serikali itachukua hatua za kisheria na hatua nyinginezo, pamoja na mipango na sera thabiti za utekelezaji zilizoundwa ili kufidia unyimwaji wa haki ambao uliwapata watu au kikundi cha watu kwa sababu ya ubaguzi wa zamani.
(7) Hatua yoyote inayochukuliwa chini ya ibara ya (6) itatoa kikamilifu maslahi kwa msingi wa hitaji la kweli.
(8) Pamoja na hatua zilizobainishwa katika ibara ya (6), Serikali itachukua hatua za kisheria na hatua nyinginezo ili kutekeleza kanuni ambayo itahakikisha kwamba washirika wa bodi wa kuchaguliwa au kuteuliwa wa jinsia moja hawatakuwa zaidi ya theluthi mbili. (Kifungu cha 27)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Lesotho shall adopt policies aimed at promoting a society based on equality and justice for all its citizens regardless of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
2. In particular, the State shall take appropriate measures in order to promote equality of opportunity for the disadvantaged groups in the society to enable them to participate fully in all spheres of public life. (Sec. 26)
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)
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)
- English1. Where a person is empowered to make a nomination or an appointment to a public office, that person shall ensure—
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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)
- English1. Women shall be accorded full and equal dignity of the person with men.
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5. Without prejudice to article 32 of this Constitution, women shall have the right to affirmative action for the purpose of redressing the imbalances created by history, tradition or custom. (Art. 33)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
3. The historical legacy of inequality and discrimination suffered by women in Ethiopia taken into account, women, in order to remedy this legacy, are entitled to affirmative measures. The purpose of such measures shall be to provide special attention to women so as to enable them to compete and participate on the basis of equality with men in political, social and economic life as well as in public and private institutions.
… (Art. 35) - Amharic…
3. ሴቶች በበታችነትና በልዩነት በመታየታቸው የደረሰባቸውን የታሪክ ቅርስ ከግምት ውስጥ በማስገባት ይህ ቅርስ እንዲታረምላቸው በተጨማሪ የድጋፍ እርምጃዎች ተጠቃሚ የመሆን መብት አላቸው፡፡ በዚህ በኩል የሚወሰዱት እርምጃዎች ዓላማ በፖለቲካዊ፣ በማኅበራዊና በኢኮኖሚያዊ መስኮች እንዲሁም በመንግሥት እና በግል ተቋሞች ውስጥ ሴቶች ከወንዶች ጋር በእኩልነት ተወዳዳሪና ተሳታፊ እንዲሆኑ ለማድረግ እንዲቻል ልዩ ትኩረት ለመስጠት ነው፡፡
… (አንቀጽ 35)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. The National Government shall establish independent institutions and commissions as provided for by this Constitution. Such institutions and commissions shall perform their functions and duties impartially and without interference from any person or authority.
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3. The National Government shall ensure that at least twenty-five percent of the membership of each of these institutions and commissions shall be women. (Art. 142)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
We, the People of Côte d'Ivoire;
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Express our commitment to:
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- promoting equality between men and women;
… (Preamble) - French
Nous, Peuple de Côte d’Ivoire ;
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Exprimons notre engagement à :
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- promouvoir l’égalité entre les hommes et les femmes ;
… (Préambule)