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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) 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)
- English
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The Constitutional Council is an entity whose sole purpose is to discuss and approve a proposed text for a new Constitution, in accordance with the procedure set forth in this section. Its members will be elected by popular vote, and their composition will be gender-balanced.
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2. ... The list of a political party or electoral coalition must indicate the order of precedence that the candidates will have on the ballot for each senatorial constituency, starting with a woman and alternating subsequently between men and women. In each senatorial constituency, the lists or electoral coalitions must always declare an even number of candidates, consisting of an equal number of women and men.
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3. The following rules shall be followed for the distribution and allocation of seats in the Constitutional Council:
a) The electoral system for the Constitutional Council shall aim to achieve equitable representation of women and men, understood as 25 women and 25 men.
... (Art. 144) - Spanish
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El Consejo Constitucional es un órgano que tiene por único objeto discutir y aprobar una propuesta de texto de nueva Constitución, de acuerdo al procedimiento fijado en el presente epígrafe. Sus integrantes serán electos en votación popular y su conformación será paritaria.
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2. ...
La lista de un partido político o pactos electorales deberán señalar el orden de precedencia que tendrán los candidatos en la cédula para cada circunscripción senatorial, comenzando por una mujer y alternándose, sucesivamente, éstas con hombres.
En cada circunscripción senatorial, las listas o pactos electorales deberán declarar siempre un número par de candidatos, integrados por el mismo número de mujeres y hombres.
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3. Para la distribución y asignación de escaños del Consejo Constitucional se seguirán las siguientes reglas:
a) El sistema electoral para el Consejo Constitucional se orientará a conseguir una representación equitativa de mujeres y hombres, entendiéndose esto como 25 mujeres y 25 hombres.
... (Art. 144)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe State shall draw up and implement policies to achieve equality between women and men, through the specialized mechanism set up by law, and shall mainstream the gender approach in plans and programs and shall provide technical assistance for its mandatory enforcement in the public sector. (Art. 70)
- SpanishEl Estado formulará y ejecutará políticas para alcanzar la igualdad entre mujeres y hombres, a través del mecanismo especializado de acuerdo con la ley, e incorporará el enfoque de género en planes y programas, y brindará asistencia técnica para su obligatoria aplicación en el sector público. (Art. 70)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of this article -
(a) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect; and
(b) no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(2) In this article the expression ‘discriminatory’ means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their or their parents’ or guardians’ respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, age, disability, marital status, sex, gender, language, birth, social class, pregnancy, religion, conscience, belief or culture whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which other persons of the same or another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not afforded to persons of another such description.
(3) Paragraph (1)(a) shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision -
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(c) whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in the preceding paragraph 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.
… (Art. 149)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
The judges of the National Court of Justice shall be elected by the Judiciary Council in conformity with a procedure entailing a competitive merit-based examination, subject to challenge and social monitoring. Parity between men and women shall be fostered. (Art. 183) - Spanish…
Las juezas y jueces de la Corte Nacional de Justicia serán elegidos por el Consejo de la Judicatura conforme a un procedimiento con concurso de oposición y méritos, impugnación y control social. Se propenderá a la paridad entre mujer y hombre. (Art. 183)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- EnglishThe principle of the quota of at least thirty percent (30%) of women is recognized at all levels of national life, notably in the public services. (Art. 17-1)
- FrenchLe principe du quota d’au moins trente pour cent (30%) de femmes est reconnu à tous les niveaux de la vie nationale, notamment dans les services publics. (Art. 17.1)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
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For the election of the 200 deputies [masculine] and deputies [feminine], according to the principle of proportional representation and the System of Regional Lists, five plurinomial electoral circumscriptions will be constituted in the country conformed in accordance with the principle of parity, and headed alternately between women and men each elective period. The Law will determine the form of establishing the territorial demarcation of these circumscriptions. (Art. 53) - Spanish
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Para la elección de los 200 diputados y diputadas según el principio de representación proporcional y el Sistema de Listas Regionales, se constituirán cinco circunscripciones electorales plurinominales en el país conformadas de acuerdo con el principio de paridad, y encabezadas alternadamente entre mujeres y hombres cada periodo electivo. La Ley determinará la forma de establecer la demarcación territorial de estas circunscripciones. (Art. 53)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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.
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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) of this section 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) 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)