WORLD Policy Analysis Center

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Does the constitution explicitly protect women’s right to equality in marriage in all aspects including entering, existing, and within marriage?

Equality in entering marriage means that the constitution guarantees that marriage is not forced, that it is entered into with the free consent of spouses, or that men and women have equal rights to marry. Equality in exiting marriage means that spouses have equal rights to divorce or dissolve a marriage. Equality within marriage means that: spouses have equal rights broadly; or they have equal rights specifically surrounding children and/or property; and/or women do not have to give up their civil and political rights upon marriage.

May be limited means the constitution limits equality within marriage by requiring wives to belong to the community of their husband.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly protect women’s equality in marriage. This does not mean that the constitution denies this right, but that it does not explicitly include it.

At least one aspect aspirational means that the constitution protects at least one aspect of marriage equality for women but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee. For example, constitutions in this category might state that the country aims to ensure women’s equality in marriage.

Only entering is guaranteed means that the constitution protects equality in entering marriage in authoritative language, but does not explicitly protect equality within or exiting marriage.

Equality within or when entering and exiting means that the constitution protects equality within marriage in authoritative language, or that it explicitly protects equality in entering and exiting marriage in authoritative language.

Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within means that the constitution protects equality at every stage of marriage in authoritative language.

Countries

Afghanistan - No specific provision

Albania - No specific provision

Algeria - No specific provision

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Argentina - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bahrain - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Belgium - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Benin - No specific provision

Bhutan - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Central African Republic - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

Chile - No specific provision

China - No specific provision

Comoros - No specific provision

Cote d'Ivoire - No specific provision

Croatia - No specific provision

Czech Republic - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Egypt - No specific provision

Fiji - No specific provision

Finland - No specific provision

France - No specific provision

Gabon - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Greece - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Guyana - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

Hungary - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Indonesia - No specific provision

Iran - No specific provision

Iraq - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kazakhstan - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Kuwait - No specific provision

Laos - No specific provision

Latvia - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Lesotho - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Libya - No specific provision

Liechtenstein - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

North Macedonia - No specific provision

Madagascar - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Maldives - No specific provision

Mali - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Micronesia, Federated States of - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Morocco - No specific provision

Myanmar - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

Nepal - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Niger - No specific provision

Nigeria - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Oman - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Peru - No specific provision

The Philippines - No specific provision

Poland - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Russian Federation - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Seychelles - No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Slovakia - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

South Africa - No specific provision

South Sudan - No specific provision

Sri Lanka - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Sudan - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

Switzerland - No specific provision

Syria - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Thailand - No specific provision

Togo - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tunisia - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

United Arab Emirates - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Uruguay - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Yemen - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Guatemala - At least one aspect aspirational

Papua New Guinea - At least one aspect aspirational

Burkina Faso - Only entering is guaranteed

Burundi - Only entering is guaranteed

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Only entering is guaranteed

The Gambia - Only entering is guaranteed

Jamaica - Only entering is guaranteed

Mozambique - Only entering is guaranteed

Somalia - Only entering is guaranteed

Spain - Only entering is guaranteed

Eswatini - Only entering is guaranteed

Andorra - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Angola - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Azerbaijan - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Belarus - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Bolivia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Brazil - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Bulgaria - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Cambodia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Cabo Verde - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Colombia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Republic of the Congo - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Costa Rica - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Cuba - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Dominican Republic - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Ecuador - Equality within or when entering and exiting

El Salvador - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Equatorial Guinea - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Eritrea - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Estonia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Georgia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Ghana - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Honduras - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Italy - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Republic of Korea - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Kyrgyzstan - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Lithuania - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Mexico - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Moldova - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Mongolia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Montenegro - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Nicaragua - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Palau - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Panama - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Paraguay - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Portugal - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Romania - Equality within or when entering and exiting

San Marino - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Sao Tome and Principe - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Senegal - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Slovenia - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Suriname - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Timor-Leste - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Türkiye - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Turkmenistan - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Ukraine - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Uzbekistan - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Venezuela - Equality within or when entering and exiting

Armenia - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Ethiopia - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Guinea - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Japan - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Kenya - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Malawi - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Namibia - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Rwanda - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Serbia - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Tajikistan - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Uganda - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Vietnam - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Zimbabwe - Guaranteed equality in entering, exiting, and within

Cyprus - May be limited