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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
- EnglishReserving to all Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, Priors, Templars, Hospitallers, Earls, Barons, and all Persons, as well Spiritual as Temporal, all their free Liberties and free Customs, which they have had in time passed. And all these Customs and Liberties aforesaid, which We have granted to be holden within this our Realm, as much as appertaineth to Us and our Heirs, we shall observe; and all Men of this our Realm, as well Spiritual as Temporal, as much as in them is, shall observe the same against all Persons, in like wise.
… (Magna Carta, Closing Text: General Saving. Observance of these Liberties. Subsidy, in respect of this Charter and Charter of the Forest)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English…
DECLARE that we are all Fijians united by common and equal citizenry;
… (Preamble) - iTaukei…
TUSANAKA nida sa kai Viti eda sa dua bau na umatamata;
… (Ikau)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- Englisha. All persons are born equally free and independent and have certain natural, inherent and inalienable rights, among which are the right of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of pursuing and maintaining and security of the person and of acquiring, possessing and protecting property, subject to such qualifications as provided for in this Constitution.
b. All persons, irrespective of ethnic background, race, sex, creed, place of origin or political opinion, are entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, subject to such qualifications as provided for in this Constitution.
c. All persons are equal before the law and are therefore entitled to the equal protection of the law. (Art. 11)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishAll female and male Ecuadorians are citizens and shall enjoy the rights set forth in the Constitution.
… (Art. 6) - SpanishTodas las ecuatorianas y los ecuatorianos son ciudadanos y gozarán de los derechos establecidos en la Constitución.
… (Art. 6)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishAll persons are equal before the law and there shall be no discrimination whatsoever on grounds of sex, race, language, or religion. (Art. 35)
- Arabicالنّاس متساوون أمام القانون. لا تمييز بينهم في ذلك بسبب الجنس، أو الأصل، أو اللّغة، أو الدّين. (المادّة 35)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English(1) For the purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are—
(a) sex, which includes pregnancy and childbirth;
(b) marital status, which means being—
(i) single; or
(ii) married, in a civil union, or in a de facto relationship; or
(iii) the surviving spouse of a marriage or the surviving partner of a civil union or de facto relationship; or
(iv) separated from a spouse or civil union partner; or
(v) a party to a marriage or civil union that is now dissolved, or to a de facto relationship that is now ended:
(c) religious belief:
(d) ethical belief, which means the lack of a religious belief, whether in respect of a particular religion or religions or all religions:
(e) colour:
(f) race:
(g) ethnic or national origins, which includes nationality or citizenship:
(h) disability, which means—
(i) physical disability or impairment:
(ii) physical illness:
(iii) psychiatric illness:
(iv) intellectual or psychological disability or impairment:
(v) any other loss or abnormality of psychological, physiological, or anatomical structure or function:
(vi) reliance on a guide dog, wheelchair, or other remedial means:
(vii) the presence in the body of organisms capable of causing illness:
(i) age, which means,—
(i) for the purposes of sections 22 to 41 and section 70 and in relation to any different treatment based on age that occurs in the period beginning with 1 February 1994 and ending with the close of 31 January 1999, any age commencing with the age of 16 years and ending with the date on which persons of the age of the person whose age is in issue qualify for national superannuation under section 7 of the New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income Act 2001 (irrespective of whether or not the particular person qualifies for national superannuation at that age or any other age):
(ii) for the purposes of sections 22 to 41 and section 70 and in relation to any different treatment based on age that occurs on or after 1 February 1999, any age commencing with the age of 16 years:
(iii) for the purposes of any other provision of Part 2, any age commencing with the age of 16 years:
(j) political opinion, which includes the lack of a particular political opinion or any political opinion:
(k) employment status, which means—
(i) being unemployed; or
(ii) being a recipient of a benefit as defined in Schedule 2 of the Social Security Act 2018 or an entitlement under the Accident Compensation Act 2001:
(l) family status, which means—
(i) having the responsibility for part-time care or full-time care of children or other dependants; or
(ii) having no responsibility for the care of children or other dependants; or
(iii) being married to, or being in a civil union or de facto relationship with, a particular person; or
(iv) being a relative of a particular person:
(m) sexual orientation, which means a heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation.
(2) Each of the grounds specified in subsection (1) is a prohibited ground of discrimination, for the purposes of this Act, if—
(a) it pertains to a person or to a relative or associate of a person; and
(b) it either—
(i) currently exists or has in the past existed; or
(ii) is suspected or assumed or believed to exist or to have existed by the person alleged to have discriminated. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 21)13
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English1. Subject to subsections (4), (5) and (7), no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
2. Subject to subsections (6), (7) and (8), no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting in the performance of any public function conferred by any law or otherwise in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
3. In this section, 'discriminatory' means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, caste, 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 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 –
…
aa. for a minimum number of candidates for election to local authorities to be of a particular sex, with a view to ensuring adequate representation of each sex on a local authority;
ab. for a minimum number of candidates for election to the Rodrigues Regional Assembly to be of a particular sex, with a view to ensuring adequate representation of each sex in the Rodrigues Regional Assembly;
…
c. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) (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.
5. Nothing contained in any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of subsection (1) to the extent that it makes provision with respect to standards or qualifications (not being standards or qualifications specifically relating to race, caste, place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex) 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 authority or any office in a body corporate established directly by any law for public purposes.
6. Subsection (2) shall not apply to anything which is expressly or by necessary implication authorised to be done by any such provision of law as is referred to in subsection (4) or (5).
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) may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by sections 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, being such a restriction as is authorised by section 9(2), 11(5), 12(2), 13(2), 14(2) or 15(3), as the case may be.
8. Subsection (2) 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. (Sec. 16)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishThe Haitian people proclaim this Constitution:
…
To fortify the national unity, eliminating all discrimination between the populations, of the towns and of the countryside, by the acceptance of the community of languages and of culture and by the recognition of the right to progress, to information, to education, to health, to work and to leisure for all citizens [masculine] and citizens [feminine].
…
To establish a governmental regime based on the fundamental liberties and the respect for human rights, the social peace, economic equity, the equity of gender, the concerted [action] and the participation of all the population in the grand decisions engaging the national life, by an effective decentralization.
To assure to women a representation in the instances of power and of decision which must conform to the equality of the sexes and to equity of gender. (Preamble) - FrenchLe Peuple Haïtien proclame la présente Constitution:
…
Pour fortifier l'unité nationale, en éliminant toutes discrimations entre les populations des villes et des campagnes, par l'acceptation de la communauté de langues et de culture et par la reconnaissance du droit au progrès, à l'information, à l'éducation, à la santé, au travail et au loisir pour tous les citoyens et citoyennes.
…
Pour instaurer un régime gouvernamental basé sur les libertés fondamentales et le respect des droits humains, la paix sociale, l’equité économique, l’équité de genre, la concertation et la participation de toute la population aux grandes décisions engageant la vie nationale, par une décentralisation effective.
Pour assurer aux femmes une représentation dans les instances de pouvoir et de décision qui soit conforme à l’égalité des sexes et à l’équité de genre. (Préambule)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- EnglishWomen and men shall have the same rights and duties in all areas of family, political, economic, social and cultural life. (Sec. 17)
- TetumFeto no mane iha direitu no obrigasaun hanesan iha moris família, kulturál, sosiál, ekonómiku no polítiku nia laran. (Art. 17)
- PortugueseA mulher e o homem têm os mesmos direitos e obrigações em todos os domínios da vida familiar, cultural, social, económica e política. (Art. 17)
Equality and Non-Discrimination
- English
(1) In this section, discrimination refers to the treatment of different people in different ways wholly or mainly because of their different —
(a) races; or
(b) places of origin; or
(c) political opinions; or
(d) colours; or
(e) religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs, or
(f) disability; or
(g) sex
in such a way that one such person is for some such reason given more favourable treatment or less favourable treatment than another such person.
(2) Subject to the provisions of this Part, and in particular to —
(a) the succeeding provisions of this section; and
(b) section 29 (Protection of Tuvaluan values, etc.); and
(c) section 31 (disciplined forces of Tuvalu); and
(d) section 32 (foreign disciplined forces); and
(e) section 33 (hostile disciplined forces); and
(f) section 36 (restrictions on certain rights and freedoms during public emergencies),
no-one shall be treated in a discriminatory manner.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a law so far as it makes provision —
…
(d) in respect of-
(i) adoption: or
(ii) marriage; or
(iii) divorce; or
(iv) burial; or
(v) any other such matter, in accordance with the personal law, beliefs or customs of any person or group; or
(e) in relation to land; or
(f) by which any person or group may be given favourable treatment or unfavourable treatment which, having regard to the nature of the treatment and to any special circumstances of the person or group, is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society having a proper respect for human rights and dignity.
(4) Nothing in a law shall be considered to be inconsistent with subsection (2) to the extent that it makes provision for —
(a) standards or qualifications (not specifically related to any matter referred to in subsection (1)(a)-(e)) for appointment to any office or position in -
(i) a State Service; or
(ii) a disciplined force; or
(iii) the service of a local government or authority; or
(iv) a body corporate established by law for a public purpose, or the service of such a body; or
(b) localization within the meaning of section 142 (localization).
(5) Subsection (2) does not affect the exercise of any discretion relating to the institution, conduct or discontinuance in a court of any proceedings that is vested in any person or authority by or under this Constitution or any other law.
(6) Nothing in or done under a law shall be considered to be inconsistent with subsection (2) to the extent that the law provides that any person may be subjected to any restriction on the rights and freedoms guaranteed by —
(a) section 21 (privacy of home and property); and
(b) section 23 (freedom of belief); and
(c) section 24 (freedom of expression); and
(d) section 25 (freedom of assembly and association); and
(e) section 26 (freedom of movement); and
(f) section 28 (other rights and freedoms),
to the extent authorized by that section.
(7) Subject to section 12(2) (which relates to harsh, oppressive or otherwise unlawful acts) and 15 (definition of “reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”) and to any other law, no act that —
(a) is in accordance with Tuvaluan custom; and
(b) is reasonable in the circumstances,
shall be considered to be inconsistent with subsection (2).
(8) Nothing in or done under a law shall be considered to be inconsistent with subsection (2)-
(a) if the law was in force in Tuvalu immediately before the date on which this Constitution took effect; or
(b) to the extent that the law repeals and re-enacts any provision that has been contained in a law in force in Tuvalu at all times since that date. (Sec. 27)