Constitutions reflect the social and political character of nations and frame their legal and political systems. Constitutional guarantees can be used to demand greater equity in the delivery of and access to basic services, to challenge discriminatory legislation and practices, and to change social norms. Equal rights lay the foundation for equal life chances for all.
Based on 37 international conventions, the WORLD Policy Analysis Center developed a framework of rights and protections, and analyzed the constitutions of all 193 UN member states to identify and compare the existence and quality of protections across civil and political rights, economic and social rights, and protection against discrimination across the life course.
Additionally, explicit guarantees of protections from discrimination form the basis of equal opportunity in specific spheres. The WORLD Policy Analysis Center has analyzed labor laws and equal rights legislation for all 193 UN member states to create globally comparative, quantitatively analyzable data of prohibitions of workplace discrimination in hiring, promotions and/or demotions, pay, training, firing, harassment, and more for 17 distinct protected characteristics including race/ethnicity, migrant status, sex, religion, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, disability, and more.
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