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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.
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Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Canada
- 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)
Antigua and Barbuda
- English1. 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, place of origin, political opinions or affiliations, 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 that are not accorded to persons of another such description.
4. Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as the law makes provision-
…
c. 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 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. 14)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Haiti
- EnglishAny law concerning the Political Parties must reserve in its structures and in its mechanisms of functioning a treatment in conformity with the principle of the quota of at least thirty percent (30%) of women as expressed in Article 17-1. (Art. 31-1-1)
- FrenchToute loi relative aux Partis politiques doit réserver dans ses structures et dans ses mécanismes de fonctionnement un traitement en conformité avec le principe du quota d’au moins trente pour cent (30%) de femmes exprimé à l’aritcle 17.1. (Art. 31.1.1)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Ecuador
- EnglishThe members of the Constitutional Court shall be designated by a qualification commission comprised of two persons appointed by each one of the following branches of government: the legislative, the executive, and transparency and social monitoring. Members shall be elected from among the candidates submitted by the above-mentioned branches of government, through a public examination process, with citizen oversight and option for challenging the process. In the membership of the Court, efforts shall be made to ensure parity between men and women.
… (Art. 434) - SpanishLos miembros de la Corte Constitucional se designarán por una comisión calificadora que estará integrada por dos personas nombradas por cada una de las funciones, Legislativa, Ejecutiva y de Transparencia y Control Social. La selección de los miembros se realizará de entre las candidaturas presentadas por las funciones anteriores, a través de un proceso de concurso público, con veeduría y posibilidad de impugnación ciudadana. En la integración de la Corte se procurará la paridad entre hombres y mujeres.
… (Art. 434)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Bolivia, Plurinational State of
- English...
II. The Law shall determine the general criteria for the election of members of the departmental assemblies, taking into account population, territorial, cultural identity and linguistic representation when there are rural native indigenous minorities, and parity and alternation of gender. The Statutes of Autonomy shall define its application in accordance with the specific reality and conditions of its jurisdiction. (Art. 278) - Spanish...
II. La Ley determinará los criterios generales para la elección de asambleístas departamentales, tomando en cuenta representación poblacional, territorial, de identidad cultural y lingüística cuando son minorías indígena originario campesinas, y paridad y alternancia de género. Los Estatutos Autonómicos definirán su aplicación de acuerdo a la realidad y condiciones específicas de su jurisdicción. (Art. 278)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Colombia
- EnglishAll persons are born free and equal before the law, shall receive equal protection and treatment from the authorities, and shall enjoy the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities without any discrimination on account of gender, race, national or family origin, language, religion, political opinion, or philosophy.
The State shall promote the conditions so that equality may be real and effective and shall adopt measures in favor of groups that are discriminated against or marginalized.
… (Art. 13) - SpanishTodas las personas nacen libres e iguales ante la ley, recibirán la misma protección y trato de las autoridades y gozarán de los mismos derechos, libertades y oportunidades sin ninguna discriminación por razones de sexo, raza, origen nacional o familiar, lengua, religión, opinión política o filosófica.
El Estado promoverá las condiciones para que la igualdad sea real y efectiva y adoptará medidas en favor de grupos discriminados o marginados.
… (Art. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Belize
- 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 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) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
…
(d) 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 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.
… (Sec. 16)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Ecuador
- EnglishFor multi-person elections, the law shall establish an electoral system in line with the principles of proportionality, equality of vote, equity, parity and rotation of power between women and men and shall determine the voting precincts inside and outside the country. (Art. 116)
- SpanishPara las elecciones pluripersonales, la ley establecerá un sistema electoral conforme a los principios de proporcionalidad, igualdad del voto, equidad, paridad y alternabilidad entre mujeres y hombres; y determinará las circunscripciones electorales dentro y fuera del país. (Art. 116)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Guyana
- English…
(3) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, Parliament may make provision -
(a) …
(v) for the extraction from the lists and declaration of names of the candidates who have been elected, and for such provision for extraction to take into account the proportion that women form of the electorate;
…
(b) …
(iii) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s list and in all party’s lists taken together;
(iv) for the minimum number or proportion of female candidates on a party’s lists for geographical constituencies taken individually or together;
(v) for the maximum percentage or the number of geographical constituencies a party can contest in which its lists contain no female candidate.
… (Art. 160)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
Mexico
- English...
A. This Constitution recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and, consequently, to the autonomy to:
...
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:
...
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)