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Seventh: Right to Equality
Right to equality is one of the basic civil human rights. Human
dignity is the origin of human rights and is only viable by
ensuring that all people are equal before the Law and that there
is no discrimination on the basis of gender, color, religion,
nationality or social security.
This right was enunciated in all international human rights
instruments including the African Charter of Human and
Peoples' Rights for 1981, subject of the Report which, in its
Article 2, provides for "the right to indiscriminate treatment in
enjoying rights determined in the Charter", and in Article 3 in:
1) endorsing "equality before the Law" and 2) stipulating for
"equality in terms of protection before the Law".
The right to equality is multi-faceted. It is the right of the
individual to be treated without discrimination no matter the
reason. He shall be entitled to be treated as equal before the Law
in taking its relevant provisions as reference whether regarding
rights and obligations, or protection, or labor and civil service.
Libyan right-specific declarations and charters corroborated and
assured this right. In the First Statement of the 1969 Revolution,
it was noted that "all people are equal where no one shall be
disadvantaged or subdued". In the Declaration on the
Establishment of the Power of the People, the right to political
exercise of power is warranted for all citizens without
discrimination for any reason whatsoever. Defending homeland
is the responsibility of all citizens without discrimination.
Concerning the 1988 Great Green Human Rights Charter in the
era of the masses, the stipulation of its Article 21 is evident in
approving gender equality, stressing that sons of mass society,
men and women, are equal vis-à-vis whatever is deemed
humane since differentiation between men and women in terms
of rights implies unjustifiably flagrant injustice. The provision
cited in Article 17 of the same Document is a precursor to the
principle of non-discrimination reading that "sons of mass