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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)
- EnglishThe State shall actively promote and maintain the welfare of the people by adopting, inter alia, policies aimed at the following:
(a) enactment of legislation to ensure equality of opportunity for women, to enable them to participate fully in all spheres of Namibian society;
… (Art. 95)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(4) The State shall ensure gender balance and fair representation of marginalized groups in all constitutional and other bodies.
… (Sec. 60)
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)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English… The state seeks to guarantee women’s representation in elected bodies. (Art. 34)
- Arabic... تعمل الدّولة على ضمان تمثيليّة المرأة في المجالس المنتخبة. (الفصل 34)
- French… L’État veille à garantir la représentativité de la femme dans les assemblées élues. (Art. 34)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English...
(2) No law enacted by any authority in the United Republic shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(4) No person shall be discriminated against by any person or any authority acting under any law or in the discharge of the functions or business of any state office.
(5) For the purposes of this Article the expression “discriminate” means to satisfy the needs, rights or other requirements of different persons on the basis of their nationality, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, sex or station in life such that certain categories of people are regarded as weak or inferior and are subjected to restrictions or conditions whereas persons of other categories are treated differently or are accorded opportunities or advantage outside the specified conditions or the prescribed necessary qualifications except that the word “discrimination” shall not be construed in a manner that will prohibit the Government from taking purposeful steps aimed at rectifying disabilities in the society.
… (Art. 13)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Where a person is empowered to make a nomination or an appointment to a public office, that person shall ensure—
…
b. that fifty percent of each gender is nominated or appointed from the total available positions, unless it is not practicable to do so; ... (Art. 259)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English…
(4) In the composition of the Government, women shall be fairly represented.
… (Sec. 214)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) 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, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status 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) shall not apply to any law to the extent that that law makes provision—
…
e. whereby persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) may be made subject 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.
Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the making of laws in pursuance of the principle of State Policy of promoting a society based on equality and justice for all the citizens of Lesotho and thereby removing any discriminatory law.
... (Sec. 18)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English
The State works to promote parity between men and women in the market of employment.
The State encourages the promotion of women to responsibilities in the public institutions and administrations as well as at the level of enterprises. (Art. 68) - Arabic
تعمل الدولة على ترقية التناصف بين الرجال والنساء في سوق التشغيل.
تشجع الدولة ترقية المرأة في مناصب المسؤولية في الهيئات والإدارات العمومية وعلى مستوى المؤسسات. (المــادة 68) - French
L'Etat œuvre à promouvoir la parité entre les hommes et les femmes sur le marché de l'emploi.
L'Etat encourage la promotion de la femme aux responsabilités dans les institutions et administrations publiques ainsi qu'au niveau des entreprises. (Art. 68)
Affirmative Action (Broadly)
- English1. There shall be established by the President of the Republic a Commission to be known as National Constitutional Review Commission within six months from coming into force of this constitution.
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5. The Commission shall be established with due regard for gender, political, social and regional diversity of South Sudan in recognition of the need for inclusiveness, transparency and equitable participation. Each member of the Commission shall have the requisite competence and technical expertise and experience to contribute to fulfilling the mandate of the Commission.
… (Art. 202)