THE CHARTER OF CIVIL SOCIETY
FOR THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

ARTICLE V

Equality Before the Law

All persons shall be equal before the law, be entitled to the equal protection of the law and to a fair and impartial hearing within a reasonable time.

2. The States shall use their best endeavours to have legal assistance extended in any case where the interest of justice so requires.
   
3. No person shall be favoured or discriminated against by reason of age, colour, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, language, place of birth or origin, political opinion, race, religion or social class.
   
4. A law shall be deemed not to be contrary to paragraph 3 if such law provides for special measures for the sole purpose of furthering the development and advancement of hitherto disadvantaged communities or sections of the population to enable them to develop and realise their potential to the fullest.