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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.
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (8) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
2. Subject to the provisions of subsections (6), (7) and (8) of this section, 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.
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, 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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c. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in the preceding subsection (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters that is the personal law applicable to persons of that description;d. with respect to land, the tenure of land, the resumption and acquisition of land and other like purposes; or
e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in the preceding subsection 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.
5. Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards or qualifications (not being standards or qualifications specifically relating to race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed) to be required of any person who is appointed to any office in the public service, any office in a disciplined force, any office in the service of a local government council or any office in a body corporate established directly by any law for public purposes.
6. Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorized to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or (5) of this section.
7. Subsection (2) of this section shall not affect any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance of civil or criminal proceedings in any court that is vested in any person by or under this Constitution or any other law.
8. Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorized by section 9 (2), 11 (6), 12 (2), 13 (2) or 14 (3), as the case may be.
9. Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with the provisions of this section-
a. if that law was in force immediately before the coming into operation of this Constitution and has continued in force at all times since the coming into operation of this Constitution; or
b. to the extent that the law repeals and re-enacts any provision which has been contained in any enactment at all times since immediately before the coming into operation of this Constitution. (Sec. 15)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
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(2) Propagation of ethnic, regional, racial discrimination or any other form of division is punished by law. (Art. 37) - Kinyarwanda
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(2) Kwamamaza ivangura rishingiye ku isanomuzi, ku karere, ku bwoko cyangwa ku macakubiri ayo ari yo yose bihanwa n’amategeko. (Ingingo ya 37) - French
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(2) Toute propagande à caractère ethnique, régionaliste, raciste ou basée sur toute autre forme de division est punie par la loi. (Art. 37)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- 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.
(2) Subject to the provisions of subsections (6),(7) and (8) of this section, no persons shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any persons acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(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, color or creed whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such descriptions are not made subject or are recorded privileges of advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law do far as that law makes provision-
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c. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters that is the personal law of persons of that description;
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 in a democratic society.
(5) Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) of this section to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards or qualifications (not being standards or qualifications specifically relating to sex, race, place or origin, political opinions, color or creed) to be required of any person who is appointed to or to act in any office or employment.
(6) Subsection (2) of this section shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorized to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or subsection (5) of this section.
(7) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this section to the extent that the law in question makes provision whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 7,9,10,11 add 12 if this Constitution, being such a restriction as is authorized by section 7(2), section 9(5)m section 10(2)m section 11(2) or paragraph (a), (b) or (h) of section 12(3), as the case may be.
(8) Nothing in subsection (2) of this section shall affect any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance of civil or criminal proceedings in any court that is vested in any person by or under this Constitution or any other law. (Sec. 13)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English… The completion of this Constitution is the culmination of the people’s struggle on the road to freedom and democracy. It is a real embodiment of achievements, a response to shifts and changes, an evidence of organizing the march of the state towards the future, a regulator of the movement of its institutions and a source of legislation. All of this is attainable through a system of fundamental principles that enshrines independence, sovereignty and the rule of the people based on election, political and party pluralism and the protection of national unity, cultural diversity, public freedoms, human rights, social justice, equality, equal opportunities, citizenship and the rule of law, where the society and the citizen are the objective and purpose for which every national effort is dedicated. Preserving the dignity of the society and the citizen is an indicator of the civilization of the country and the prestige of the state. (Preamble)
- Arabic... ويأتي إنجاز هذا الدستور تتويجاً لنضال الشعب على طريق الحرية والديمقراطية وتجسيداً حقيقياً للمكتسبات واستجابة للتحولات والمتغيرات، ودليلاً يُنظم مسيرة الدولة نحو المستقبل، وضابطاً لحركة مؤسساتها ومَصدراً لتشريعاتها، وذلك من خلال منظومة من المبادئ الأساسية تُكرس الاستقلال والسيادة وحكم الشعب القائم على الانتخاب والتعددية السياسية والحزبية وحماية الوحدة الوطنية والتنوع الثقافي والحريات العامة وحقوق الإنسان والعدالة الاجتماعية والمساواة وتكافؤ الفرص والمواطنة وسيادة القانون، يكون فيها المجتمع والمواطن هدفاً وغاية يُكرَّس من أجلهما كل جهد وطني، ويُعد الحفاظ على كرامتهما مؤشراً لحضارة الوطن وهيبة الدّولة. (المقدّمة)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishEvery person shall be equal under the law and shall be entitled to equal protection. The government shall take no action to discriminate against any person on the basis of sex, race, place of origin, language, religion or belief, social status or clan affiliation except for the preferential treatment of citizens, for the protection of minors, elderly, indigent, physically or mentally handicapped, and other similar groups, and in matters concerning intestate succession and domestic relations. No person shall be treated unfairly in legislative or executive investigation. (Art. IV, Sec. 5)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWe, the people of South Africa…
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to- …
Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law; … (Preamble)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishThe state shall be obligated to create a prosperous and progressive society based on social justice, preservation of human dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, attainment of national unity as well as equality between all peoples and tribes and balance development of all areas of the country. (Art. 6)
- Dariدولت به ایجاد یك جامعه مرفه و مترقی بر اساس عدالت اجتماعی، حفظ كرامت انسانی، حمایت حقوق بشر، تحقق دموكراسی، تأمین وحدت ملی، برابری بین همه اقوام و قبایل و انكشاف متوازن در همه مناطق كشور مكلف می باشد. (مادۀ ۶)
- Pashtoدولت، د انساني كرامت په ساتلو، بشري حقوقو د ملاتړ، د دموكراسۍ د تحقق، ملي وحدت د تأمين، د ټولو قومونو او قبايلو ترمنـځ د برابرۍ او د هېواد په ټولو سيمو كې د متوازنې پراختيا او ټولنيز عدالت پر بنسټ د يوې هوسا او پرمختللې ټولنې په جوړولو مكلف دى. (۶ ماده)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishAll persons are equal in law. There shall be no distinction among the citizens of the UAE on the basis of race, nationality, faith or social status. (Art. 25)
- Arabicجميع الأفراد لدى القانون سواء ولا تمييز بين مواطني الاتحاد بسبب الأصل أو المواطن أو العقيدة الدينية أو المركز الاجتماعي. (المادّة 25)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
The citizens are equal before the law and have right to an equal protection of it, without any discrimination because of birth, of race, of gender, of opinion or of any other condition or personal or social circumstance being able to prevail. (Art. 37)
- Arabic
كل المواطنين سواسية أمام القانون، ولهم الحق في حماية متساوية. ولا يمكن أن يُتذرّع بأيّ تمييز يعود سببه إلى المولِد، أو العِرق، أو الجِنس، أو الرّأي، أو أيّ شرط أو ظرف آخر، شخصيّ أو اجتماعيّ. (المــادة 37)
- French
Les citoyens sont égaux devant la loi et ont droit à une égale protection de celle-ci, sans que puisse prévaloir aucune discrimination pour cause de naissance, de race, de sexe, d'opinion ou de toute autre condition ou circonstance personnelle ou sociale. (Art. 37)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English...
(2) The state shall guarantee to both men and women the equal right to enjoy all civil, political, social, cultural, and economic rights, including the right to equal pay for equal work, and other professional benefits.
(3) The state shall guarantee women’s rights in all fields through positive discrimination.
... (Art. 48) - Arabic...
2. تكفل الدولة للرجال و النساء الحق المتساوي في التمتع بكل الحقوق المدنية والسياسية والإجتماعية والثقافية والإقتصادية بما فيها الحق في الأجر المتساوي للعمل المتساوي والمزايا الوظيفية الاخري
3. تضمن الدولة حقوق المرأة في جميع المجالات وتعززها من خلال التمييز الإيجابي.
(الماده 49)