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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 subsections (4), (5) and (7), no law shall make any provision that 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, place of origin, birth out of wedlock, political opinions or affiliations, colour, sex 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 that 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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(d) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be subjected to any disability or restriction or may be accorded any privilege or advantage that, 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)
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7), no law shall make any provision that 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 sex, race, 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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(d) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be subjected to any disability or restriction or may be accorded any privilege or advantage that, 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. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
A. This Constitution recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and, consequently, to the autonomy to:
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VII. Elect, in the municipalities with indigenous population, representatives to the ayuntamientos [local or town councils], observing the principle of parity of gender in accordance with the applicable norms.
The constitutions and laws of the federative entities recognize and regulate these rights in the municipalities, with the aim of strengthening the political participation and representation in accordance with their traditions and internal norms.
... (Art. 2) - Spanish...
A. Esta Constitución reconoce y garantiza el derecho de los pueblos y las comunidades indígenas a la libre determinación y, en consecuencia, a la autonomía para:
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VII. Elegir, en los municipios con población indígena, representantes ante los ayuntamientos, observando el principio de paridad de género conforme a las normas aplicables.
Las constituciones y leyes de las entidades federativas reconocerán y regularán estos derechos en los municipios, con el propósito de fortalecer la participación y representación política de conformidad con sus tradiciones y normas internas.
... (Art. 2)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishMen and women have equal civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. The State will promote the conditions and will create the adequate mechanisms for, making equality real and effective, by leveling [allanando] the obstacles that prevent or hinder its exercise and facilitating the participation of women in all areas [ámbitos] of the national life. (Art. 48)
- SpanishEl hombre y la mujer tienen iguales derechos civiles, políticos, sociales, económicos y culturales. El Estado promoverá las condiciones y creará los mecanismos adecuados para que la igualdad sea real y efectiva, allanando los obstáculos que impidan o dificulten su ejercicio y facilitando la participación de la mujer en todos los ámbitos de la vida nacional. (Art. 48)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.
(2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. (Constitution Act 1982, Sec. 15) - French(1) La loi ne fait acception de personne et s’applique également à tous, et tous ont droit à la même protection et au même bénéfice de la loi, indépendamment de toute discrimination, notamment des discriminations fondées sur la race, l’origine nationale ou ethnique, la couleur, la religion, le sexe, l’âge ou les déficiences mentales ou physiques.
(2) Le paragraphe (1) n’a pas pour effet d’interdire les lois, programmes ou activités destinés à améliorer la situation d’individus ou de groupes défavorisés, notamment du fait de leur race, de leur origine nationale ou ethnique, de leur couleur, de leur religion, de leur sexe, de leur âge ou de leurs déficiences mentales ou physiques. (Loi constitutionnelle de 1982, Sec. 15)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishPositive actions referred to in the last paragraph of Section 37 shall not comprise less guarantees than those in force at the time this Constitution was approved, and their duration shall be determined by law. (Referring to Section 37) (Second Temporary Provision)
- SpanishLas acciones positivas a que alude el art. 37 en su último párrafo no podrán ser inferiores a las vigentes al tiempo de sancionarse esta Constitución y durarán lo que la ley determine (corresponde al art. 37). (Disposición transitoria segunda)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State shall promote equality with respect to the representation of women and men in publicly appointed or elected office, in its executive and decision-making institutions, and political parties and movements. As for candidacies in multi-person elections, their participation shall be respected by rotation of power and sequencing.
The State shall adopt affirmative action measures to guarantee the participation of discriminated sectors. (Art. 65) - SpanishEl Estado promoverá la representación paritaria de mujeres y hombres en los cargos de nominación o designación de la función pública, en sus instancias de dirección y decisión, y en los partidos y movimientos políticos. En las candidaturas a las elecciones pluripersonales se respetará su participación alternada y secuencial.
El Estado adoptará medidas de acción afirmativa para garantizar la participación de los sectores discriminados. (Art. 65)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
The authorities will guarantee the adequate and effective participation of women in the decision-making levels of the Public Administration. (Art. 40) - Spanish…
Las autoridades garantizarán la adecuada y efectiva participación de la mujer en los niveles decisorios de la Administración Pública. (Art. 40)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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Paragraph 7. Political parties shall allocate at least 5% (five percent) of the resources from the party fund to the creation and maintenance of programs for the promotion and dissemination of women's political participation, according to the intra-party interests.
Paragraph 8. The total amount of the Special Fund for Campaign Financing and the portion of the party fund allocated to electoral campaigns, as well as the free access time to radio and television to be distributed by the parties to their respective female candidates, shall be of at least 30% (thirty percent), proportional to the number of female candidates, and the distribution shall be carried out according to criteria established by the respective boards of direction and by regulatory norms, considering party autonomy and interest. (Art. 17) - Portuguese
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§ 7º Os partidos políticos devem aplicar no mínimo 5% (cinco por cento) dos recursos do fundo partidário na criação e na manutenção de programas de promoção e difusão da participação política das mulheres, de acordo com os interesses intrapartidários.
§ 8º O montante do Fundo Especial de Financiamento de Campanha e da parcela do fundo partidário destinada a campanhas eleitorais, bem como o tempo de propaganda gratuita no rádio e na televisão a ser distribuído pelos partidos às respectivas candidatas, deverão ser de no mínimo 30% (trinta por cento), proporcional ao número de candidatas, e a distribuição deverá ser realizada conforme critérios definidos pelos respectivos órgãos de direção e pelas normas estatutárias, considerados a autonomia e o interesse partidário. (Art. 17)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The Mayor, the Vice Mayor, and the Concejales [Aldermen] will be elected by the People through universal, equal, direct, free, and secret suffrage, in accordance with the law. Those candidates who have obtained the relative majority of the votes will be elected Mayor and Vice Mayor, the Concejales will be elected by proportional representation, in accordance with the electoral quotient. The term [periodo] of the municipal authorities will be of five years, counted from the taking possession of the office before the Supreme Electoral Council.
The binomial [binomio] Mayor and Vice Mayor must be formulated under the principle of equality of gender in the exercise of the Local Power, being that one of them must be a woman and the other, [a] man, keeping the proportionality between both genders. The political parties and electoral alliances must present in their list of candidates for Mayor, Vice Mayor and Concejales, fifty percent of men and fifty percent of women.
... (Art. 178) - Spanish
El Alcalde, el Vicealcalde y los Concejales serán elegidos por el pueblo mediante el sufragio universal, igual, directo, libre y secreto, de conformidad con la ley. Serán electos Alcalde y Vicealcalde los candidatos que tengan la mayoría relativa de los votos, los Concejales serán electos por representación proporcional, de acuerdo con el cociente electoral. El período de las autoridades municipales será de cinco años, contados a partir de la toma de posesión del cargo ante el Consejo Supremo Electoral.
El binomio de Alcalde y Vicealcalde debe formularse bajo el principio de igualdad y equidad de género en el ejercicio del Poder Local, siendo que uno de ellos debe ser mujer y el otro, hombre, guardando la proporcionalidad entre ambos géneros. Los partidos políticos y alianzas electorales deberán presentar en su lista de candidatos a Alcalde, Vicealcalde y Concejales, un cincuenta por ciento de hombres y un cincuenta por ciento de mujeres.
... (Art. 178)