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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Customary Law
- English(1) The laws of Sierra Leone shall comprise—
a. this Constitution;
b. laws made by or under the authority of Parliament as established by this Constitution;
c. any orders, rules, regulations and other statutory instruments made by any person or authority pursuant to a power conferred in that behalf by this Constitution or any other law;
d. the existing law; and
e. the common law.
(2) The common law of Sierra Leone shall comprise the rules of law generally known as the common law, the rules of law generally known as the doctrines of equity, and the rules of customary law including those determined by the Superior Court of Judicature.
(3) For the purposes of this section the expression “customary law” means the rules of law which by custom are applicable to particular communities in Sierra Leone.
… (Sec. 170)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe State recognizes the traditional leadership [chefferie] as the depositary of customary authority. As such, it participates in the administration of the territory of the Republic in the conditions determined by the law.
The traditional leadership is held to a strict obligation of neutrality and reserve. It is protected against any abuse of power tending to divert it from the role conferred on it by the law. (Art. 167) - FrenchL’Etat reconnaît la chefferie traditionnelle comme dépositaire de l’autorité coutumière. A ce titre, elle participe à l’administration du territoire de la République dans les conditions déterminées par la loi.
La chefferie traditionnelle est tenue à une stricte obligation de neutralité et de réserve. Elle est protégée contre tout abus de pouvoir tendant à la détourner du rôle que lui confère la loi. (Art. 167)
Customary Law
- English(1) The judiciary of Zimbabwe consists of—
…
(f) persons presiding over magistrates courts, customary law courts and other courts established by or under an Act of Parliament.
… (Sec. 163)
Customary Law
- EnglishIn conformity with the Constitution and the laws, the indigenous territories will be governed by councils formed and regulated according to the usages and customs of their communities … (Art. 330)
- SpanishDe conformidad con la Constitución y las leyes, los territorios indígenas estarán gobernados por consejos conformados y reglamentados según los usos y costumbres de sus comunidades … (Art. 330)
Customary Law
- English…
5. Without prejudice to article 32 of this Constitution, women shall have the right to affirmative action for the purpose of redressing the imbalances created by history, tradition or custom. (Art. 33)
Customary Law
- English
The rules concerning [the following] are of the domain of the law:
…
- The procedure according to which customs [coutumes] will be recognized [constatees] and placed in harmony with the fundamental principles of the Constitution;
… (Art. 98) - French
Sont du domaine de la loi les règles concernant:
…
- La procedure selon laquelle les coutumes seront constatées et mises en harmonie avec les principes fondamentaux de la Constitution;
… (Art. 98)
Customary Law
- English…
The law establishes the rules concerning:
…
- the procedure according to which customs [coutumes] are declared and harmonized with the principles of the Constitution;
… (Art. 127) - Arabic...
ينص القانون على القواعد المتعلقة:
...
- بالإجراءات التي أعلنت بموجبها الأعراف وتم تنسيقها مع مبادئ الدستور؛
... (المادة 127) - French…
La loi fixe les règles concernant:
…
- la procédure selon laquelle les coutumes sont constatées et mises en harmonie avec les principes de la Constitution;
… (Art. 127)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe Traditional and Customary Authorities participate notably in:
- The valuing [valorisation] of use and customs;
- The promotion of the ideas of peace, of development and of social cohesion;
- The non-jurisdictional regulation of disputes [différends] within their territorial] resort. (Art. 218) - Arabicتشارك السلطات التقليدية والعرفية لا سيما في:
- تقييم التقاليد والأعراف؛
- الترويج لأفكار السلام والتنمية والتماسك الاجتماعي؛
- التنظيم غير القضائي للمنازعات داخل نطاقها الإقليمي. (المادة 218) - FrenchLes Autorités Traditionnelles et Coutumières participent notamment à:
- La valorisation des us et coutumes;
- La promotion des idéaux de paix, de développement et de cohésion sociale;
- Au règlement non juridictionnel des différends dans leur ressort territorial. (Art. 218)
Customary Law
- English...
(4) Parliament shall enact legislation that recognises—
(a) marriages concluded under any tradition, or system of religious, personal or family law; and
(b) any system of personal and family law under any tradition, or adhered to by persons professing a particular religion,
to the extent that any such marriages or systems of law are consistent with this Constitution. (Art. 45) - Swahili...
(4) Bunge litatunga sheria inayotambua-
(a) ndoa zilizofungwa chini ya utamaduni wowote, au mfumo wa sheria za kidini, za binafsi au za familia; na
(b) mfumo wowote wa sheria binafsi au familia chini ya utamaduni wowote, au inazingatiwa na watu ambao ni waumini wa dini fulani,
kwa kiwango kwamba ndoa yoyote ya namna hiyo au mifumo ya sheria haipingani na Katiba hii. (Kifungu cha 45)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe following is the law of succession to hereditary estates and titles:
Children lawfully born in wedlock only may inherit and the eldest male child shall succeed and the heirs of his body but if he have no descendants then the second male child and the heirs of his body and so on until all the male line is ended. Should there be no male child the eldest female child shall succeed and the heirs of her body and if she should have no descendants the second female child and the heirs of her body and so on until the female line is ended. And failing direct heirs the property shall revert to the eldest brother of the owner of the property beginning with the eldest and his heirs in succession to the youngest and their heirs in accordance with the law of inheritance. And if the brothers have no descendants it shall descend to the eldest sister and the female line as provided in the case of the male line. And if these should have no descendants and there should be no legitimate heir it shall revert to the Crown in accordance with the one hundred and twelfth clause. But should a female be next in succession to the title of a noble or of a hereditary chief the next male heir shall inherit the title and estates. But should such female afterwards have a legitimate male issue the title and estates shall revert to the male issue of the female upon the death of the male in possession of the estate:
Provided that the female that is the heir shall occupy the town allotment and the plantation lands appertaining to such title but the hereditary estates that is the lands occupied by the people shall be held by the inheritor of the title. …
And whereas by Tongan custom the noble Niukapu forms part of the 'Ulutolu line, now therefore it is decreed that in the event the holder of the estate and title of Niukapu is not a descendant by blood of the original Niukapu before 1875, such estate and title shall revert at the death of such holder to a descendant by blood of the Niukapu line. (Clause 111) - TonganKo eni ‘a e lao ‘o e hokohoko ki he ngaahi tofi‘a mo e ngaahi hingoa tukufakaholo:
‘E ngofua ke kau ‘i he hokohoko ni ‘a e fanau tupu mali pe ‘e hoko ki he ‘uluaki tamasi‘i tangata mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘o hono sino pea ka hala ia ‘o ‘ikai hano hako ‘e hoko ki hono ua ‘o e tamasi‘i tangata mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘o hono sino pea fai pehe kae ‘oua kuo ‘osi ‘a e fanau tangata. Ka ‘ikai ha tamasi‘i tangata ‘e hoko ki he ‘uluaki tamasi‘i fefine mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘o hono sino pea fai pehe kae ‘oua kuo ‘osi ‘a e fanau fefine. Ka hala ia ‘o ‘ikai ha hako ‘e foki ki he ngaahi tokoua tangata ‘o ia ‘a ia na‘e ‘o‘ona ‘a e tofi‘a pea fai mei he ‘uluaki ‘o a‘u ki he ki mui pea mo honau hako ‘o hange ko e lao ‘o e hokohoko. Pea ka hala ‘a e ngaahi tokoua tangata pea ka ‘ikai ha taha tonu tupu mali ‘iate kinautolu ‘e foki ki he Pule‘anga ‘o hange ko hono teau ma hongofulu ma ua ‘o e kupu. Pea koe‘uhi na‘a faifai pea hoko ha fefine ko e ‘ea ki ha hingoa ‘o ha nopele pea ka pehe ‘e hoko ‘a e tangata ‘oku hoko ki he fefine ‘o ma‘u ‘a e hingoa mo e lakanga ko ia pea ka faifai pea ma‘u ha hako tangata ‘e he fefine ko ia pea ka pekia ‘a e tangata na‘e ma‘u ‘a e hingoa ‘e toki foki ki he hako ‘o e fefine ko ia:
Pea ‘e ‘i he fefine ko e ‘ea ‘a e tofi‘a tukufakaholo ‘a e ‘api kolo mo e ‘api ‘i ‘uta ka ko e tofi‘a lahi ‘oku nofo ai ‘a e kakai ‘e ma‘u ‘e he tangata ‘e ma‘u ‘a e hingoa ko ia.Koe‘uhi ‘i he anga faka-Tonga na‘e fa‘a ngaue‘aki ma‘u ha ngofua ke lava ha tamasi‘i ohi ‘o hoko ki ha ngaahi tofi‘a mo ha ngaahi hingoa ‘o ‘ene tamai- ‘i-he-ohi ko ia ai ‘oku tu‘utu‘uni mamafa heni ka pekia ha taha ‘oku ne ma‘u ha tofi‘a pe hingoa ‘a ia ko ‘ene ma‘u ‘a e tofi‘a pe hingoa ko ia koe‘uhi ko e hako ia ‘i he toto ‘o e tamasi‘i ohi ko ia kuo pau ke foki ‘a e tofi‘a mo e hingoa ko ia ‘o hange ko e ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni ‘a e kupu ni pea kapau ‘oku ‘ikai ha hako ‘i he toto pehe ‘oku kei mo‘ui ‘oku pau ke ngaue‘aki ‘a e ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni ‘a e kupu ‘oku hoko leva mai pe ki heni.
Pea koe‘uhi ko e fatungamotu‘a ‘o Tonga ‘oku kau ai ‘a e Nopele Niukapu ki he laine ‘o e ‘Ulutolu, ko ia ‘oku tu‘utu‘uni ai heni ka hoko ‘o ma‘u ‘a e tofi‘a tukufakaholo mo e hingoa ‘o e Niukapu ‘e ha taha ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha hako ‘i he toto ‘o e ‘uluaki Niukapu ki mu‘a ‘i he 1875, kuo pau ke foki ‘a e tofi‘a tukufakaholo mo e hingoa ko ia ‘i ha pekia ‘a e taha ‘oku ne ma‘u ki ha hako ‘i he toto ‘o e laine Niukapu. (Kupu 111)