SEARCH DATABASE
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.
Religious Law
- EnglishWhereas the People of Trinidad and Tobago—(a) have affirmed that the Nation of Trinidad and Tobago is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, faith in fundamental human rights and freedoms, the position of the family in a society of free men and free institutions, the dignity of the human person and the equal and inalienable rights with which all members of the human family are endowed by their Creator;... (Preamble)
Religious Law
- EnglishAll religions may be professed and all forms of worship practiced freely, without any other limitation than respect for Christian morality and public order. It is recognized that the Catholic religion is practiced by the majority of Panamanians. (Art. 35)
- SpanishEs libre la profesión de todas las religiones, así como el ejercicio de todos los cultos, sin otra limitación que el respeto a la moral cristiana y al orden público. Se reconoce que la religión católica es la de la mayoría de los panameños. (Art. 35)
Religious Law
- English… The State is independent of religion. (Art. 4)
- Spanish… El Estado es independiente de la religión. (Art. 4)
Religious Law
- English
The Union, the states, the Federal District and the municipalities are forbidden to:
I – establish religious sects or churches, subsidize them, hinder their activities, or maintain relationships of dependence or alliance with them or their representatives, without prejudice to collaboration in the public interest in the manner set forth by law;
… (Art. 19) - Portuguese
É vedado à União, aos Estados, ao Distrito Federal e aos Municípios:
I - estabelecer cultos religiosos ou igrejas, subvencioná-los, embaraçar-lhes o funcionamento ou manter com eles ou seus representantes relações de dependência ou aliança, ressalvada, na forma da lei, a colaboração de interesse público;
… (Art. 19)
Religious Law
- English…
Religious marriages will have civil effects in the terms established by the law.
The civil effects of all marriages may cease by divorce in accordance with the civil law.
Sentences of annulment of religious marriages issued by the authorities of the respective religion, will also have civil effects within the limits established by the law.
The law will determine [that] relative to the civil status of persons and the consequent rights and duties. (Art. 42) - Spanish…
Los matrimonios religiosos tendrán efectos civiles en los términos que establezca la ley.
Los efectos civiles de todo matrimonio cesarán por divorcio con arreglo a la ley civil.
También tendrán efectos civiles las sentencias de nulidad de los matrimonios religiosos dictadas por las autoridades de la respectiva religión, en los términos que establezca la ley.
La ley determinará lo relativo al estado civil de las personas y los consiguientes derechos y deberes. (Art. 42)
Religious Law
- English
The Nicaraguan State recognizes the person, the family and the community as the origin and the end of its activity, and it is organized to assure [asegurar] the common good, assuming the task of promoting the human development of all and each one of the Nicaraguans, under the inspiration of Christian values, socialist ideals, practices of solidarity, [and] democratic and humanistic [practices], as universal and general values, as well as the values and ideals of the Nicaraguan culture and identity. (Art. 4)
- Spanish
El Estado nicaragüense reconoce a la persona, la familia y la comunidad como el origen y el fin de su actividad, y está organizado para asegurar el bien común, asumiendo la tarea de promover el desarrollo humano de todos y cada uno de los nicaragüenses, bajo la inspiración de valores cristianos, ideales socialistas, prácticas solidarias, democráticas y humanísticas, como valores universales y generales, así como los valores e ideales de la cultura e identidad nicaragüense. (Art. 4)
Religious Law
- EnglishAll religious sects are free in Uruguay. The State supports no religion whatever. … (Art. 5)
- SpanishTodos los cultos religiosos son libres en el Uruguay. El Estado no sostiene religión alguna. … (Art. 5)
Customary Law
- English(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(3) In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by sex, race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description.
(4) Subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
…
c. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section (or of persons connected with such persons), of the law with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other like matters that is the personal law of persons of that description;
… (Sec. 13)
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
- EnglishIndigenous communes, communities, peoples and nations are recognized and guaranteed, in conformity with the Constitution and human rights agreements, conventions, declarations and other international instruments, the following collective rights:
…
10. To create, develop, apply and practice their own legal system or common law, which cannot infringe constitutional rights, especially those of women, children and adolescents.
…
The State shall guarantee the enforcement of these collective rights without any discrimination, in conditions of equality and equity between men and women. (Art. 57) - SpanishSe reconoce y garantizará a las comunas, comunidades, pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas, de conformidad con la Constitución y con los pactos, convenios, declaraciones y demás instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos, los siguientes derechos colectivos:
…
10. Crear, desarrollar, aplicar y practicar su derecho propio o consuetudinario, que no podrá vulnerar derechos constitucionales, en particular de las mujeres, niñas, niños y adolescentes.
…
El Estado garantizará la aplicación de estos derechos colectivos sin discriminación alguna, en condiciones de igualdad y equidad entre mujeres y hombres. (Art. 57)