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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)
- EnglishFor the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that preferential treatment granted by reason of—
(a) a woman’s pregnancy or childbirth; or
(b) a person’s responsibility for part-time care or full-time care of children or other dependants— shall not constitute a breach of this Part. (Human Rights Act 1993, Sec. 74)
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)
- EnglishThe Senate is provided with the following competences:
…
5. Controlling the application of the constitutional provisions by demanding [exigeant] the ethnic and gender representativeness and the equilibrium within all the structures and institutions of the State, notably the public administration and the Corps of Defense and of Security;
… (Art. 192) - KirundiInama nkenguzamateka ifise ububasha bukurikira:
…
5. kugenzura ko ibitegekanijwe n’Ibwirizwa shingiro vyerekeye ingene amoko n’ibitsina biserukiwe bikwiye mu nzego zose za Leta na cane cane mu kazi ka Leta, mu ntwaramiheto no mu bajejwe umutekano ;
… (Ingingo ya 192) - FrenchLe Sénat est doté des compétences suivantes :
…
5. Contrôler l’application des dispositions constitutionnelles exigeant la représentativité ethnique et de genre et l’équilibre dans toutes les structures et les institutions de l’Etat notamment l’administration publique et les corps de défense et de sécurité ;
… (Art. 192)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
(2) Nothing contained in Article 10 hereof shall prevent Parliament from enacting legislation providing directly or indirectly for the advancement of persons within Namibia who have been socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged by past discriminatory laws or practices, or for the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at redressing social, economic or educational imbalances in the Namibian society arising out of discriminatory laws or practices, or for achieving a balanced structuring of the public service, the defence force, the police force, and the correctional service.
(3) In the enactment of legislation and the application of any policies and practices contemplated by Sub-Article (2) hereof, it shall be permissible to have regard to the fact that women in Namibia have traditionally suffered special discrimination and that they need to be encouraged and enabled to play a full, equal and effective role in the political, social, economic and cultural life of the nation. (Art. 23)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (4), (5) and (7) of this article, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect. (2) Subject to the provisions of sub-articles (6), (7) and (8) of this article, 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 article, 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, creed, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity 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.
...
(11) Nothing in the provisions of this article shall apply to any law or anything done under the authority of a law, or to any procedure or arrangement, in so far as such law, thing done, procedure or arrangement provides for the taking of special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between men and women, and in so far only as such measures, taking into account the social fabric of Malta, are shown to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. (Art. 45) - Maltese(1) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (4), (5) u (7) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ebda liġi ma għandha tagħmel xi disposizzjoni li tkun diskriminatorja sew fiha nnifisha jew fl-effett tagħha.
(2) Bla ħsara għad-disposizzjonijiet tas-subartikoli (6), (7) u (8) ta’ dan l-artikolu, ħadd ma għandu jiġi trattat b’mod diskriminatorju minn xi persuna li taġixxi bis-saħħa ta’ xi liġi miktuba jew fil-qadi tal-funzjonijiet ta’ xi kariga pubblika jew xi awtorità pubblika.
(3) F’dan l-artikolu, il-kelma "diskriminatorju" tfisser għoti ta’ trattament differenti lil persuni differenti attribwibbli għal kollox jew prinċipalment għad-deskrizzjoni tagħhom rispettiva skont ir-razza, post ta’ oriġini, opinjonijiet politiċi, kulur, fidi, sess, orjentazzjoni sesswali jew identità tal-ġeneru li minħabba fihom persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni waħda bħal dawn ikunu suġġetti għal inkapaċitajiet jew restrizzjonijiet li persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn ma jkunux suġġetti għalihom jew ikunu mogħtija privileġġi jew vantaġġi li ma jkunux mogħtija lil persuni ta’ deskrizzjoni oħra bħal dawn.
...
(11) Ebda ħaġa fid-disposizzjonijiet ta’ dan l-artikolu ma għandha tgħodd għal xi liġi, jew għal xi ħaġa magħmula taħt l-awtorità ta’ xi liġi, jew għal xi proċedura jew arranġament, sa fejn dik il-liġi, ħaġa magħmula, proċedura jew arranġament jipprovdu għat-tehid ta’ miżuri speċjali bil-għan li tiġi aċċellerata l-ugwaljanza de facto bejn irġiel u nisa, u sa fejn biss dawk il-miżuri, meħud kont tat-tessut soċjali ta’ Malta, ikunu murija li huma raġjonevolment ġustifikati f’soċjetà demokratika. (Art. 45)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English(1) The proceedings of the Senate and the National Assembly are regulated by rules known as Standing Orders, which are made by the Houses individually or jointly on the recommendation of the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders.
…
(4) Any committee established by or under Standing Orders must reflect, as closely as possible, the political and gender composition of Parliament or of the House to which the Standing Orders apply. (Sec. 139)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The Government of Nepal shall make appraisal and review of the implementation of special rights of the women and Dalit community and impacts thereof, on the basis of human development index, concurrently with a national census to be held in every ten years. (Art. 281)
- Nepali
नेपाल सरकारले प्रत्येक दश वर्षमा हुने राष्ट्रिय जनगणनासगै महिला तथा दलित समुदायको विशेष अधिकारको व्यवस्थाको कार्यान्वयन र त्यसको प्रभाव सम्बन्धमा मानव विकास सूचकांकको आधारमा समीक्षा तथा पुनरावलोकन गर्नेछ । (धारा २८१)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (5), (6) and (9) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(4) 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, 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 which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
(5) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
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(f) for the advancement of the more disadvantaged members of the community; or
(g) where 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.
… (Sec. 15)2
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- 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)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
3. Women shall have the right to participate equally with men in public life.
4. All levels of government shall:
a. promote women participation in public life and their representation in the legislative and executive organs by at least twenty-five per cent2 as an affirmative action to redress imbalances created by history, customs, and traditions;
… (Art. 16)