PART I CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS (Articles 2- 12) EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW AND RIGHTS TO NON- DISCRIMINATION (Article 2 and Article 3) Constitutional Measures The FDRE Constitution, as provided in the preamble stresses the firm conviction of the people to the fulfillment of the main objective of democratic order” which requires full respect of individual and people‟s fundamental freedoms and rights, to live together on the basis of equality and without any sexual, religious or cultural discrimination.” Hence, any sort of “discrimination on the grounds of race, nation, nationality, or other social origin, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, property, birth or other status” is prohibited under Article 25 of the Constitution. The underlying principle of equality is reiterated in the Constitution that “all persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law.” This prompts fairness amongst all factors of differences for inequality. Addressing the case of gender equality, the Constitution under Article 7 accentuates that all provisions of the Constitution are equally applicable for women. Article 35 of the Constitution guarantees equal rights for women in marriage. The right of women in marriage is further dealt under Article 34 which reads that “men and women, without any distinction, have the right to marry and create a family and have equal rights while entering into and during marriage and at the time of divorce.” Article 35 further provides that women have the right to acquire, administer, control, use and transfer property. In connection with employment, this provision guarantees the equal rights and opportunities of women in promotion, pay, and the transfer of pension entitlements. It also guarantees the right to maternity leave, which might include prenatal leave, with full pay. Article 42 of the Constitution also guarantees women workers the right to equal pay for equal work with men. The equal opportunities of woman in the formulation of national development policies, the designing and execution of projects, particularly those projects affecting the interests of women, are 37