811 Results
Quotes
Quotes based on international documents, law, and treaties- "While removal of de jure barriers is necessary, it is not sufficient...The formal removal of barriers and the introduction of temporary special measures to encourage the equal participation of both men and women in the public life of their societies are essential prerequisites to true equality in political life...States parties have an obligation to ensure that temporary special measures are clearly designed to support the principle of equality and therefore comply with constitutional principles which guarantee equality to all citizens."
- "States parties are under an obligation to take all appropriate measures, including the enactment of appropriate legislation that complies with their Constitution, to ensure that organizations such as political parties and trade unions, which may not be subject directly to obligations under the Convention, do not discriminate against women and respect the principles contained in articles 7 and 8."
- "Ensure that effective remedies as well as full information about them are available to those who claim that their human rights and fundamental freedoms have been violated; they will, inter alia, effectively apply the following remedies."
- "We reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law."
- "Take effective measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination against individuals or communities on the grounds of religion or belief in the recognition, exercise and enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all fields of civil, political, economic, social and cultural life, and to ensure the effective equality between believers and non-believers."
- "[Participating States] will...comply with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), if they are parties, and, if they have not already done so, consider ratifying or acceding to this Convention; States that have ratified or acceded to this Convention with reservations will consider withdrawing them."
- "Effectively implement the obligations in international instruments to which they are parties and take appropriate measures to implement the United Nations Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women (FLS)."
- "Measures that should be identified, implemented and monitored for effectiveness include, under article 7, paragraph (a), those designed to: (c) Ensure that barriers to equality are overcome, including those resulting from illiteracy, language, poverty and impediments to women's freedom of movement; (d) Assist women experiencing such disadvantages to exercise their right to vote and to be elected."
- "Freedoms of expression, assembly, association and movement without discrimination are prerequisites for a democratic election process. For there to be an open and fairly contested campaign, it is crucial that there is opportunity for all candidates, political parties, and their supporters – regardless of whether they are in favour of incumbents or opposition – to promote their policies, hold meetings and travel around the country. The electorate should be informed on their range of choice of parties and candidates."
- "All citizens, parties, and candidates must enjoy freedom of expression, association, assembly and movement."
- "Democratic elections are not possible without respect for human rights, in particular freedom of expression and of the press, freedom of circulation inside the country, freedom of assembly and freedom of association for political purposes, including the creation of political parties. b. Restrictions of these freedoms must have a basis in law, be in the public interest and comply with the principle of proportionality."
- "Each State Party shall, in accordance with the fundamental principles of its legal system, develop and implement or maintain effective, coordinated anticorruption policies that promote the participation of society and reflect the principles of the rule of law, proper management of public affairs and public property, integrity, transparency and accountability."
- "Each time elections are scheduled, the dates set out in the calendar for each phase of the process must allow adequate time for effective campaigning and public information efforts, for voters to inform themselves, and for the necessary administrative, legal, training and logistic arrangements to be made. The electoral calendar should itself be publicized as part of civic information activities, in the interests of transparency and of securing public understanding and confidence in the process."
- "In addition, the electoral calendar should provide adequate time for campaigning and public information efforts."
- "State Parties shall recognize popular participation through universal suffrage as the inalienable right of the people."
- "People must know their rights to use them; hence sufficient civic and voter education is a prerequisite for the facts of universality and equality."
- "For the voter, secrecy of voting is not only a right but also a duty, non-compliance with which must be punishable by disqualification of any ballot paper whose content is disclosed."
- "It will be important to consider what steps have been taken by the host government to explain to the public their right to vote and the fact that they may do so secretly and without fear of reprisal. This will be a vital factor especially in the case of peoples who have never before experienced a democratic election."
- "The matter of the secrecy of the ballot should be carefully explained…so that each voter may be assured that no threats of or actual victimisation would be visited on any voter as a result of how they voted."
- "The secrecy of the ballot should be…the focus of voter-education efforts, so that the public will be confident in these protections."
- "[C]ivic education should aim to inform voters...what guarantees are in place to protect their right to participate confidentially in the process."
- "1. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. 2. Where not already provided for by existing legislative 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 legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant. 3. Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes: (a) To ensure that any person whose rights or freedoms as herein recognized are violated shall have an effective remedy, notwithstanding that the violation has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity; (b) To ensure that any person claiming such a remedy shall have his right thereto determined by competent judicial, administrative or legislative authorities, or by any other competent authority provided for by the legal system of the State, and to develop the possibilities of judicial remedy; (c) To ensure that the competent authorities shall enforce such remedies when granted."
- "Every citizen has the right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the voter."
- "Women shall be entitled to vote in all elections on equal terms with men, without any discrimination."
- "Migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right to participate in public affairs of their State of origin and to vote and to be elected at elections of that State, in accordance with its legislation."
- "In applying the provisions of this Convention, Governments shall: Establish means by which these peoples can freely participate, to at least the same extent as other sectors of the population, at all levels of decision-making in elective institutions and administrative and other bodies responsible for policies and programmes which concern them."
- "To ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives, including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected,"
- "Every citizen of the Union has the right to vote and to stand as a candidate at municipal elections in the Member State in which he or she resides under the same conditions as nationals of that State."
- "Every citizen shall have the right to participate freely in the government of his country, either directly or through freely chosen representatives in accordance with the provisions of the law."
- "The High Contracting Parties agree that the right to vote and to be elected at national office shall not be denies or abridged by reason of sex."
- "The observance of the principle of universal suffrage means: a) every citizen, upon coming up to the age fixed by the Constitution, laws, has the right to elect and to be elected to the bodies of state power, to local self-governments, other bodies of people’s (national) representation, to elective posts on the conditions and in line with procedures stipulated by the Constitution and laws."
- "Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives."
- "1. Every human being has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. 2. To give effect to this right for internally displaced persons, the authorities concerned shall issue to them all documents necessary for the enjoyment and exercise of their legal rights, such as passports, personal identification documents, birth certificates and marriage certificates. In particular, the authorities shall facilitate the issuance of new documents or the replacement of documents lost in the course of displacement, without imposing unreasonable conditions, such as requiring the return to one's area of habitual residence in order to obtain these or other required documents. 3. Women and men shall have equal rights to obtain such necessary documents and shall have the right to have such documentation issued in their own names."
- "Internally displaced persons, whether or not they are living in camps, shall not be discriminated against as a result of their displacement in the enjoyment of the following rights: (d) The right to vote and to participate in governmental and public affairs, including the right to have access to the means necessary to exercise this right."
- "State Parties shall implement this Charter in accordance with the following principles: 7. Effective participation of citizens in democratic and development processes and in governance of public affairs."
- "Member States shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that women have equal rights with men to vote and be voted for in elections, to participate in the formulation of government policies and the implementation thereof and to hold public offices and perform public functions at all levels of governance."
- "We are committed to secure the full right of persons belonging to minorities to vote and to facilitate the right of refugees to participate in elections held in their countries of origin."
- "In support of democracy and the democratic process We will: promote political representation, thus providing for all citizens to participate in the political process in a free and fair political environment."
- "All eligible citizens have the right to vote and should be provided with opportunities to exercise that right. In some countries voting is compulsory, but elsewhere voters can choose not to vote and cannot be forced to do so, or punished for not doing so."
- "Every adult citizen has the right to vote in elections, on a non-discriminatory basis."
- "National minorities are recognized to have an equal right to participation in public affairs, including through being effectively represented in public offices. This includes the rights to vote, stand for election, participate in public affairs, and form political parties without discrimination."
- "The right to vote at elections must be established by law and may be subject only to reasonable restrictions, such as setting a minimum age limit for the right to vote."
- "The right to vote is not absolute…and may be subject to reasonable restrictions which ‘are not arbitrary and do not interfere with the free expression of the people’s opinion.'"
- "The election system therefore must provide clear and narrowly defined criteria concerning the circumstances in which the right to vote can be denied, withdrawn, or suspended. Criteria establishing the definition of universal suffrage (for example, age and citizenship) must be addressed in the constitution and electoral law, and criteria for disqualification (for example, due to mental incapacity or criminal conviction) must be defined in law and should be implemented with judicial involvement."
- "In general, these limitations fall within four categories: (1) minimum age requirements; (2) citizenship requirements; (3) residency requirements; and (4) loss of franchise due to mental incapacity, criminal conduct, or other factors. Any limitation or restriction on the right to vote, however, must be scrutinized as to whether it is clearly justified due to exceptional circumstances and whether it is proportionate to the circumstances in question."
- "[P]rovision may be made for depriving individuals of their right to vote and to be elected, but only subject to the following cumulative conditions. ii. it must be provided for by law; iii. the proportionality principle must be observed; conditions for depriving individuals of the right to stand for election may be less strict than for disenfranchising them; iv. The deprivation must be based on ... a criminal conviction for a serious offence. v. Furthermore, the withdrawal of political rights ... may only be imposed by express decision of a court of law. "
- "The rule of law requires that the classes of those disqualified from voting, if any, be known in advance, and that challenge be available in appropriate cases."
- "The grounds for potential loss of the right to vote must be clearly stated in law. The principle of proportionality must be respected."
- "Loss of the right to vote or stand for election may be imposed only following adjudication by a court of law and, in some countries, must be the basis of a separate judicial proceeding."
- "Universal suffrage means in principle that all human beings have the right to vote and to stand for election. This right may, however, and indeed should, be subject to certain conditions."