1059 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "Legal rules requiring a minimum percentage of persons of each gender among candidates should not be considered as contrary to the principle of equal suffrage if they have a constitutional basis."
- "a. Implementation of the parity principle may lead to admit: 1. Elections by a list system - the obligation to ensure a composition of the candidates' lists alternating men and women; - the refusal to register lists which do not respect such alternating composition. 2. Elections in single-member constituencies - the obligation to ensure a balanced percentage of women and men amongst candidates of the same party. - dissuasive sanctions in case of non-respect of this obligation."
- "Specific measures which are necessary to accelerate or achieve de-facto equality of persons with disabilities shall not be considered discrimination under the terms of the present Convention."
- "States Parties recognize that women and girls with disabilities are subject to multiple discrimination, and in this regard shall take measures to ensure the full and equal enjoyment by them of all human rights and fundamental freedoms."
- "A distinction or preference adopted by a state party to promote the social integration or personal development of persons with disabilities does not constitute discrimination provided that the distinction or preference does not in itself limit the right of persons with disabilities to equality and that individuals with disabilities are not forced to accept such distinction or preference."
- "Special measures taken for the sole purpose of securing adequate advancement of certain racial or ethnic groups or individuals requiring such protection as may be necessary in order to ensure such groups or individuals equal enjoyment or exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms shall not be deemed racial discrimination, provided, however, that such measures do not, as a consequence, lead to the maintenance of separate rights for different racial groups and that they shall not be continued after the objectives for which they were taken have been achieved."
- "States parties shall, when the circumstances so warrant, take, in the social, economic, cultural and other fields, special and concrete measures to ensure the adequate development and protection of certain racial groups or individuals belonging to them, for the purpose of guaranteeing them the full and equal enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. These measures shall in no case entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate rights for different racial groups after the objectives for which they were taken have been met."
- "The Parties undertake to adopt, where necessary, adequate measures in order to promote, in all areas of economic, social, political and cultural life, full and effective equality between persons belonging to a national minority and those belonging to the majority. In this respect, they shall take due account of the specific conditions of the persons belonging to national minorities."
- "The Committee also wishes to point out that the principle of equality sometimes requires States parties to take affirmative action in order to diminish or eliminate conditions which cause or help to perpetuate discrimination prohibited by the Covenant. For example, in a State where the general conditions of a certain part of the population prevent or impair their enjoyment of human rights, the State should take specific action to correct those conditions. Such action may involve granting for a time to the part of the population concerned certain preferential treatment in specific matters as compared with the rest of the population. However, as long as such action is needed to correct discrimination in fact, it is a case of legitimate differentiation under the Covenant."
- "Best practices do not exclude reasonable quotas or preferences designed to ensure more equitable representation of women or minority groups."
- "Special rules guaranteeing national minorities reserved seats or providing for exceptions to the normal seat allocation criteria for parties representing national minorities (for instance, exemption from a quorum requirement) do not in principles run counter to equal suffrage."
- "Nothing in this Convention maybe interpreted as affecting in any way the legal provisions of States Parties concerning nationality, citizenship or naturalization, provided that such provisions do not discriminate against any particular nationality."
- "In those states in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language."
- "Underlining that the principles of Europe's electoral heritage may be implemented only if certain conditions are fulfilled, in particular respect for fundamental rights, the impartial organisation of elections and an effective system of appeal."
- "The legal framework should provide effective mechanisms and remedies for the enforcement of electoral rights. The right to vote is a fundamental human right and the right to a remedy for violation of the right to vote is also a fundamental human right. The legal framework for elections must set forth detailed and sufficient provisions protecting suffrage rights."
- "Anyone alleging a denial of their individual voting or other political rights must have access to independent review and redress."
- "Adequate arrangements shall be made to hear and dispose of all petitions relating to the conduct of elections and announcement of results."
- "...different types of complaint that will inevitably arise. These might include refusal of the right to stand as a candidate or to vote, attempts to suppress voter turnout, alleged misinterpretation of the electoral laws or procedures, alleged violations of the criminal law, disputes regarding the accuracy of the count, or claims that the cumulative effect of such irregularities is so extensive as to invalidate the elections. Generally, what is at issue is either the validity of the result, or the penalization of those who have violated electoral laws. The right to a remedy for violation of human rights is itself a human right, while sanctions against those who infringe the provisions of the electoral law are implicitly required in any effective system of implementation."
- "Every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard. This comprises: (a) the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, law, regulations and customs in force; (b) the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court or tribunal; (c) the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice; (d) the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court or tribunal."
- "State Parties re-affirm their commitment to regularly holding transparent, free and fair elections in accordance with the Union’s Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa. To this end, State Parties shall: 2. Establish and strengthen national mechanisms that redress election related disputes in a timely manner."
- "Moreover, particular rules or sets of rules should be instituted in order to expedite the settlement of disputes: a. in urgent cases b. in cases relating to an undisputed right or an established liquidated claim and in cases involving small claims."
- "The integrity of the system requires not only that such issues be dealt with by an independent and impartial authority, such as the electoral commissions or the courts, but also that decisions be reached in a timely manner, in order that the outcome of elections not be delayed."
- "The law must require that the appropriate EMB or court render a prompt decision to avoid the aggrieved party losing his/her electoral rights…The decision of the court of last resort must be issued promptly. The legal framework should provided for timely deadlines for the consideration and determination of a complaint and the communication of the decision to the complainant."
- "The law must require that the appropriate election commission/body or court render a prompt decision."
- "Another important element of the legislative framework is the complaints and appeals process, which must provide effective and timely remedies in the event of violations of law. Complaints concerning the election process must be dealt with equitably, transparently, and according to due process of law. Procedures and deadlines should be clearly set out in the election law. Time frames must be sufficiently short to ensure a meaningful remedy. There must be accessible and adequate facilities for filing complaints."
- "There must be time limits for resolving election petitions."
- "Where not already provided for by existing legislation or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such legislation or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant."
- "State parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating the discrimination against women and to this end, undertake (d) To refrain from engaging in any act of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation."
- "State parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating the discrimination against women and to this end, undertake: (e) to all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise."
- "State Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating the discrimination against women and to this end, undertake: (f) to take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women."
- "State Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating the discrimination against women and to this end, undertake: (g) to repeal all national penal provisions which constitute discrimination against women."
- "States parties condemn racial discrimination and undertake to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating racial discrimination in all its forms and promoting understanding among all race."
- "To adopt all appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures for the implementation of the rights recognized in the present Convention; (b) To take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that constitute discrimination against persons with disabilities; (c) To take into account the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities in all policies and programs."
- "The Member States of the Organization of African Unity parties to the present Charter shall recognize the rights, duties and freedoms enshrined in this Chapter and shall undertake to adopt legislative or other measures to effect to them."
- "Where the exercise of any of the rights or freedoms referred to in Article 1 is not already ensured by legislative or other provisions, the States Parties undertake to adopt, in accordance with their constitutional processes and the provisions of this Convention, such legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to those rights or freedoms."
- "The Contracting Parties shall secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms set out in the present convention."
- "The High Contracting Parties shall secure to everyone within their jurisdiction the rights and freedoms defined in Section I of this convention."
- "Whatever the form of constitution or government is in force, the Covenant requires States to adopt such legislative and other measures as may be necessary to ensure that citizens have an effective opportunity to enjoy the rights it protects."
- "States must take effective measures to ensure that all persons entitled to vote are able to exercise that right."
- "In exercising this right, they will ensure that their laws, regulations, practices and policies conform with their obligations under international law and are brought into harmony with the provisions of the Declaration on Principles and other CSCE commitments."
- "Article 4 of the CEDAW stipulates that ‘temporary special measures aimed at accelerating the de facto equality of men and women shall not be considered discrimination’. This opens the possibility for countries to implement a policy of reserved seats or quotas for women."
- "The preparation and conduct of elections and the announcement of results shall be done in a transparent manner."
- "Article 2, paragraph 2, requires that States Parties take the necessary steps to give effect to the Covenant rights in the domestic order. It follows that, unless Covenant rights are already protected by their domestic laws or practices, States Parties are required on ratification to make such changes to domestic laws and practices as are necessary to ensure their conformity with the Covenant. Where there are inconsistencies between domestic law and the Covenant, article 2 requires that the domestic law or practice be changed to meet the standards imposed by the Covenant's substantive guarantees."
- "Domestic law consistent with the Charter of the United Nations and other international obligations of the State in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms is the juridical framework within which human rights and fundamental freedoms should be implemented and enjoyed and within which all activities referred to in the present Declaration for the promotion, protection and effective realization of those rights and freedoms should be conducted."
- "Considering the important contribution of international instruments in the field of human rights to the rule of law at a national level, the participating States reaffirm that they will consider acceding to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other relevant international instruments, if they have not yet done so."
- "Member States recognize that the rule of law involves not only the promulgation of good laws that are in conformity with the provisions on human rights, but also a good judicial system, a good system of administration, and good management of the State apparatus."
- "States should take the necessary legislative steps and other measures, in accordance with their constitutional processes, to guarantee the rights and institutional framework for periodic and genuine, free and fair elections, in accordance with their obligations under international law."
- "Domestic laws regulating freedom of assembly must be consistent with the international instruments ratified by that state, and the legitimacy of domestic laws will be judged accordingly. Domestic laws must also be interpreted and implemented in conformity with the relevant international and regional jurisprudence."
- "The constitutional and legal framework should: guarantee fundamental freedoms and human rights, promote good governance and the values of political stability."
- "Electoral systems should promote and protect fundamental human rights as well as the secrecy of the ballot."