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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.
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Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Mexico
- EnglishThe ownership of the lands and waters included within the boundaries of the national territory, corresponds originally in the Nation, which has had, and has, the right to transfer the dominion of these to private persons, thereby constituting private property.
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The capacity to acquire ownership [dominio] of the lands and waters of the Nation, will be governed by the following prescriptions:
I. Only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of the lands, waters, and their appendages [accesiones], or to obtain concessions for the exploitation of mines or waters.
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VII. The juridical personality of the nuclei [núcleos] of ejido and communal population is recognized[,] and their ownership concerning the land used for human settlement as well as for productive activities is protected.
The law shall protect the integrity of the lands of the indigenous groups.
The law, in consideration of the respect for and the strengthening of the communal life of the ejidos and communities, shall protect the land for human settlement and will regulate the exploitation of lands, forests and waters of common use and the provision of actions of support necessary to elevate the standard of living of their inhabitants.
The law, with respect for the will of the ejidatarios and comuneros to adopt the conditions that are most advantageous to them in the exploitation of their productive resources, will regulate the exercise of the rights of the comuneros concerning the land and of each ejidatario over his parcel. Likewise it will establish the procedures through which the ejidatarios and comuneros may associate among themselves, with the State or with third parties and concede [otorgar] the use of their lands; and, concerning the ejidatarios, transmit their parcel rights among the members of the nucleus of inhabitants; equally it will establish the requirements and procedures in accordance with which the assembly of the ejido may grant to the ejidatario ownership of his parcel. In cases of alienation of parcels[,] the right of preference that the law provides for shall be respected.
Within the same nucleus of population, no ejidatario may be a title holder of more land than that equivalent to 5% of the total of the ejido lands. In any case, the titling of lands in favor of a single ejidatario must be adjusted to the limits specified in fraction XV.
… (Art. 27) - SpanishLa propiedad de las tierras y aguas comprendidas dentro de los límites del territorionacional, corresponde originariamente a la Nación, la cual ha tenido y tiene el derecho de transmitir eldominio de ellas a los particulares, constituyendo la propiedad privada.
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La capacidad para adquirir el dominio de las tierras y aguas de la Nación, se regirá por las siguientes prescripciones:
I. Sólo los mexicanos por nacimiento o por naturalización y las sociedades mexicanas tienen derecho para adquirir el dominio de las tierras, aguas y sus accesiones o para obtenerconcesiones de explotación de minas o aguas.
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VII. Se reconoce la personalidad jurídica de los núcleos de población ejidales y comunales y se protege su propiedad sobre la tierra, tanto para el asentamiento humano como para actividades productivas.
La ley protegerá la integridad de las tierras de los grupos indígenas.
La ley, considerando el respeto y fortalecimiento de la vida comunitaria de los ejidos y comunidades, protegerá la tierra para el asentamiento humano y regulará el aprovechamiento de tierras, bosques y aguas de uso común y la provisión de acciones de fomento necesarias para elevar el nivel de vida de sus pobladores.
La ley, con respeto a la voluntad de los ejidatarios y comuneros para adoptar las condiciones que más les convengan en el aprovechamiento de sus recursos productivos, regulará el ejercicio de los derechos de los comuneros sobre la tierra y de cada ejidatario sobre su parcela.
Asimismo establecerá los procedimientos por los cuales ejidatarios y comuneros podrán asociarse entre sí, con el Estado o con terceros y otorgar el uso de sus tierras; y, tratándose de ejidatarios, transmitir sus derechos parcelarios entre los miembros del núcleo de población; igualmente fijará los requisitos y procedimientos conforme a los cuales la asamblea ejidal otorgará al ejidatario el dominio sobre su parcela. En caso de enajenación de parcelas se respetará el derecho de preferencia que prevea la ley.
Dentro de un mismo núcleo de población, ningún ejidatario podrá ser titular de más tierra que la equivalente al 5% del total de las tierras ejidales. En todo caso, la titularidad de tierras en favor de un solo ejidatario deberá ajustarse a los límites señalados en la fracción XV.
… (Art. 27)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Marshall Islands
- English(1) Nothing in Article II6 shall be construed to invalidate the customary law or any traditional practice concerning land tenure or any related matter in any part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, including, where applicable, the rights and obligations of the Iroijlaplap, Iroijedrik, Alap and Dri Jerbal.
(2) Without prejudice to the continued application of the customary law pursuant to Section 1 of Article XIII,7 and subject to the customary law or to any traditional practice in any part of the Republic, it shall not be lawful or competent for any person having any right in any land in the Republic, under the customary law or any traditional practice to make any alienation or disposition of that land, whether by way of sale, mortgage, lease, license or otherwise, without the approval of the Iroijlaplap, Iroijedrik where necessary, Alap and the Senior Dri Jerbal of such land, who shall be deemed to represent all persons having an interest in that land.
… (Art. X, Sec. 1)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Nigeria
- English(1) The Sharia Court of Appeal of a State shall, in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred upon it by the law of the State, exercise such appellate and supervisory jurisdiction in civil proceedings involving questions of Islamic personal Law which the court is competent to decide in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2) of this section.
(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) of this section, the sharia Court of Appeal shall be competent to decide –
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(c) any question of Islamic personal Law regarding a wakf, gift, will or succession where the endower, donor, testator or deceased person is a muslim;
… (Sec. 277)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Nepal
- English…
(4) Every farmer shall have the right to have access to lands for agro activities, select and protect local seeds and agro species which have been used and pursued traditionally, in accordance with law.
… (Art. 42) - Nepali…
(४) प्रत्येक किसानलाई कानून बमोजिम कृषि कार्यकालागि भूमिमा पहुँच, परम्परागत रूपमा प्रयोग र अवलम्बन गरिएको स्थानीय बीउ बिजन र कृषि प्रजातिको छनौट र संरक्षणको हक हुनेछ ।
... (धारा ४२)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Panama
- EnglishThe State guarantees to indigenous communities the reservation of necessary lands and collective ownership thereof, to ensure their economic and social well-being. Procedures to be followed for obtaining this purpose, and the definition of boundaries within which private appropriation of land is prohibited, shall be regulated by law. (Art. 127)
- SpanishEl Estado garantizará a las comunidades indígenas la reserva de las tierras necesarias y la propiedad colectiva de las mismas para el logro de su bienestar económico y social. La Ley regulará los procedimientos que deban seguirse para lograr esta finalidad y las delimitaciones correspondientes dentro de las cuales se prohíbe la apropiación privada de tierras. (Art. 127)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Solomon Islands
- EnglishParliament may, in regard to land which has ceased to be customary land:—
(a) provide for the conversion into a fixed-term interest of any perpetual interest in such land held by a person who is not entitled under the preceding section to hold such a perpetual interest;
(b) provide for the compulsory acquisition where necessary of such land or any right over or interest in such land;
(c) prescribe the criteria to be adopted in regard to the assessment and payment of compensation for such conversion or compulsory acquisition (which may take account of, but need not be limited to, the following factors: the purchase price, the value of improvements made between the date of purchase and the date of acquisition, the current use value of the land, and the fact of its abandonment or dereliction). (Sec. 111)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
South Sudan
- English1. The regulation of land tenure, usage and exercise of rights thereon shall be governed by this Constitution and the law.
2. Without prejudice to sub-Article (4) below, the land tenure system in South Sudan shall consist of:
a. public land;
b. community land; and
c. private land.
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5. Community land shall include all lands traditionally and historically held or used by local communities or their members. They shall be defined, held, managed and protected by law.
6. Private land shall include:
a. registered land held by any person under leasehold tenure in accordance with the law;
b. investment land acquired under lease from the Government or community for purposes of social and economic development in accordance with the law; and
c. any other land designated as private land by law.
7. Rights in land and resources owned, held or otherwise acquired by the Government shall be exercised through the appropriate or designated level of government which shall recognize customary land rights under customary land law.
8. All levels of government shall institute a process to progressively develop and amend the relevant laws to incorporate customary rights and practices and local heritage.
9. Communities and persons enjoying rights in land shall be consulted in decisions that may affect their rights in lands and resources.
10. Communities and persons enjoying rights in land shall be entitled to prompt and equitable compensation on just terms arising from acquisition or development of land in their areas in the public interest. (Art. 171)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Philippines
- EnglishThe State shall apply the principles of agrarian reform or stewardship, whenever applicable in accordance with law, in the disposition or utilization of other natural resources, including lands of the public domain under lease or concession suitable to agriculture, subject to prior rights, homestead rights of small settlers, and the rights of indigenous communities to their ancestral lands.
The State may resettle landless farmers and farmworkers in its own agricultural estates which shall be distributed to them in the manner provided by law. (Art. XIII, Sec. 6) - FilipinoDapat ipatupad ng Estado ang mga simulain ng repormang pansakahan o stewardship kailanma't mapapairal nang naaalinsunod sa batas sa pamamahagi o paggamit ng iba pang mga likas na kayamanan, kasama ang mga lupaing pambayan na angkop sa pagsasaka sa ilalim ng pamumuwisan o konsesyon, batay sa mga nananahanan, at mga karapatan mga katutubong mga pamayanan sa kanilang minanang lupain.
Maaaring ipanahanan ng Estado ang mga magsasakang walang lupa at mga manggagawa sa bukid sa sarili nitong mga lupaing pansakahan na ipamahagi sa kanila sa paraang itinakda ng batas. (Art. XIII, Seksyon 6)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- EnglishWhere every person in Saint Vincent is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, color, creed or sex, but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following, namely-
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c. protection for the privacy of his home and other property and from deprivation of property without compensation,
… (Sec. 1)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Vanuatu
- English1. Notwithstanding Articles 73 and 74 the Government may buy land from custom owners for the purpose of transferring ownership of it to indigenous citizens or indigenous communities from over-populated islands.
2. When redistributing land in accordance with subarticle (1), the Government shall give priority to ethnic, linguistic, customary and geographical ties. (Art. 81) - French1) Nonobstant les dispositions des articles 73 et 74, le gouvernement peut acheter des terres aux propriétaires coutumiers dans le but d'en transférer la propriété aux citoyens indigènes ou à des collectivités indigènes originaires d'îles surpeuplées.
2) Pour la redistribution des terres effectuée en application du paragraphe 1), le gouvernement tient compte en priorité des facteurs ethniques, linguistiques, coutumiers et géographiques. (Art. 81)