WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee equality or non-discrimination for stateless persons?

Explicit guarantees of equality or non-discrimination for stateless persons include prohibitions of discrimination against stateless persons, and guarantees of equal rights, guarantees of equality before the law, and guarantees of overall equality for stateless persons in a country.

Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted means the constitution explicitly reserves full equality for citizens or permits restrictions on the right to equality or non-discrimination for stateless persons. For example, the constitution may state that stateless persons enjoy all rights except those reserved for citizens and separately state that citizens enjoy equality before the law.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention the right to equality. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it.

Right guaranteed using citizenship language means that the constitution protects the right to equality and/or non-discrimination in authoritative language, but uses the word “citizen” instead of “person” to guarantee the right. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee that citizens have the right to equality before the law. This language may be interpreted to exclude stateless persons from the right to equality.

Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons means that the constitution guarantees equality to “everyone”, but does not specifically protect stateless persons’ right to equality.

Guaranteed for stateless persons means that the constitution guarantees the right to equality and/or non-discrimination for stateless persons in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might prohibit discrimination based on citizenship or guarantee that stateless persons enjoy the same rights as citizens.

Countries

Antigua and Barbuda - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Barbados - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Belize - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Botswana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Cabo Verde - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Dominica - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

The Gambia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Ghana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Grenada - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guinea-Bissau - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Guyana - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Kiribati - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Lesotho - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Malta - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Marshall Islands - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Mauritius - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

New Zealand - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Palau - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Portugal - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sao Tome and Principe - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Sierra Leone - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Solomon Islands - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Kitts and Nevis - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Lucia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Tuvalu - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Vanuatu - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Zambia - Full equality is explicitly reserved for citizens or restrictions permitted

Australia - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

Panama - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Afghanistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Algeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Austria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Bahrain - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Belgium - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Brazil - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Bulgaria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Burkina Faso - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Burundi - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cambodia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cameroon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

China - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Comoros - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Republic of the Congo - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Cote d'Ivoire - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Croatia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Dominican Republic - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Egypt - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Equatorial Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

France - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Gabon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Greece - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Haiti - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iran - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Iraq - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Ireland - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Italy - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Jordan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Republic of Korea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Kuwait - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Lebanon - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Libya - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Liechtenstein - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Luxembourg - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

North Macedonia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mali - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mauritania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Monaco - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Mozambique - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Myanmar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nepal - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nicaragua - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Niger - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Nigeria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Oman - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Pakistan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Papua New Guinea - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Qatar - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Romania - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Rwanda - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

San Marino - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Somalia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Africa - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

South Sudan - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Spain - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Sri Lanka - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Syria - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Thailand - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Timor-Leste - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Togo - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Tunisia - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Türkiye - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Vietnam - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Yemen - Right guaranteed using citizenship language

Andorra - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Argentina - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Armenia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Benin - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Bhutan - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Bolivia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Canada - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Central African Republic - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Chad - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Chile - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Colombia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Costa Rica - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Cuba - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Cyprus - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Czech Republic - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Djibouti - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Ecuador - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

El Salvador - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Eritrea - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Ethiopia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Fiji - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Finland - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Germany - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Guatemala - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Honduras - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Hungary - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Iceland - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Indonesia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Jamaica - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Japan - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Kenya - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Latvia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Liberia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Lithuania - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Madagascar - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Malawi - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Malaysia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Maldives - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Mexico - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Micronesia, Federated States of - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Mongolia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Montenegro - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Morocco - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Namibia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

The Netherlands - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Norway - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Paraguay - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Peru - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

The Philippines - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Poland - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Samoa - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Senegal - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Serbia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Seychelles - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Singapore - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Slovakia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Slovenia - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Sudan - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Suriname - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Eswatini - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Switzerland - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Tanzania - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Trinidad and Tobago - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Uganda - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

United Arab Emirates - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

United Kingdom - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

United States of America - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Uruguay - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Venezuela - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed right, not specific for stateless persons

Albania - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Angola - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Azerbaijan - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Belarus - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Estonia - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Georgia - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Kazakhstan - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Kyrgyzstan - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Laos - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Moldova - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Russian Federation - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Tajikistan - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Tonga - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Turkmenistan - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Ukraine - Guaranteed for stateless persons

Uzbekistan - Guaranteed for stateless persons