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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.
ABOUT 4191 RESULTS
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Ethiopia
- 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)
Zimbabwe
- English(1) Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, every member of a Commission is appointed for a term of five years which is renewable for one additional term only.
…
(4) Where a Commission has a chairperson and a deputy chairperson, they must be of different genders.
… (Sec. 320)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Ghana
- English(1) All persons shall be equal before the law.
(2) A person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status.
(3) For the purposes of this article, "discriminate" means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinions, colour, gender, occupation, religion or creed, whereby persons of one description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another description which are not granted of persons of another description are not made subject or are granted privileges or advantages which are not granted to persons of another description.
(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent Parliament from enacting laws that are reasonably necessary to provide-
(a) for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalance in the Ghanaian society;
...
(d) for making different provision for different communities having regard to their special circumstances not being provision which is inconsistent with the spirit of this Constitution.
... (Art. 17)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Central African Republic
- English…
The political parties must respect the principles of representation of gender … (Art. 31) - French…
Les partis politiques doivent respecter les principes de représentation du genre … (Art. 31)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Malawi
- EnglishThe State shall actively promote the welfare and development of the people of Malawi by progressively adopting and implementing policies and legislation aimed at achieving the following goals—
a. Gender Equality
To obtain gender equality through—
(i) full participation of women in all spheres of Malawian society on the basis of equal opportunities with men;
(ii) the implementation of the principles of nondiscrimination and such other measures as may be required;
… (Sec. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Namibia
- English...
(2) Nothing contained in Article 10 hereof shall prevent Parliament from enacting legislation providing directly or indirectly for the advancement of persons within Namibia who have been socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged by past discriminatory laws or practices, or for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalances in the Namibian society arising out of discriminatory laws or practices, or for achieving a balanced structuring of the public service, the defence force, the police force, and the correctional service.
(3) In the enactment of legislation and the application of any policies and practices contemplated by Sub-Article (2) hereof, it shall be permissible to have regard to the fact that women in Namibia have traditionally suffered special discrimination and that they need to be encouraged and enabled to play a full, equal and effective role in the political, social, economic and cultural life of the nation. (Art. 23)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Cabo Verde
- EnglishThe following shall be the fundamental tasks of the State:
…
e) To promote the well-being and quality of life of the Cabo Verdean people, especially the neediest, and to remove, in a progressive fashion, economic, social, cultural and political obstacles that hinder true equality of opportunity among citizens, especially factors of discrimination against women in the family and in the society;
… (Art. 7) - PortugueseSão tarefas fundamentais do Estado:
…
e) Promover o bem estar e a qualidade de vida do povo cabo-verdiano, designadamente dos mais carenciados, e remover progressivamente os obstáculos de natureza económica, social, cultural e política que impedem a real igualdade de oportunidades entre os cidadãos, especialmente os factores de discriminação da mulher na família e na sociedade;
… (Art. 7)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
South Sudan
- English…
6. The objects of local government shall be to:
…
h. ensure gender mainstreaming in local government;
… (Art. 166)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Botswana
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7) of this section, 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, tribe, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex 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) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
...
(e) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section 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. 15)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Uganda
- 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.
…
5. Parliament shall make laws for the purpose of giving full effect to this article. (Art. 32)