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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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Customary Law
Côte d’Ivoire
- English
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The State promotes and protects the cultural patrimony as well as the habits and customs which are not contrary to public order and morality. (Art. 24) - French
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L’Etat promeut et protège le patrimoine culturel ainsi que les us et coutumes qui ne sont pas contraires à l’ordre public et aux bonnes mœurs. (Art. 24)
Customary Law
Malaysia
- English...
13. Native law and custom, including the personal law relating to marriage, divorce, guardianship, maintenance, adoption, legitimacy, family law, gifts or succession, testate or intestate; registration of adoptions under native law or custom; the determination of matters of native law or custom; the constitution, organization, and procedure of native courts (including the right of audience in such courts), and the jurisdiction and powers of such courts, which shall extend only to the matters included in this paragraph and shall not include jurisdiction in respect of offences except in so far as conferred by federal law.
… (Ninth Schedule, List IIA—Supplement to State List for States of Sabah and Sarawak, [Article 95B(1)(a)]) - Malay...
13. Undang-undang dan adat anak negeri, termasuk undang-undang diri yang berhubungan dengan perkahwinan, perceraian, penjagaan, nafkah, pengangkatan, kesahtarafan, undang-undang keluarga, alang atau pewarisan, berwasiat atau tidak berwasiat; pendaftaran pengangkatan di bawah undang-undang atau adat anak negeri; penentuan perkara perkara mengenai undang-undang atau adat anak negeri; keanggotaan, susunan, dan tatacara mahkamah anak negeri (termasuk hak untuk didengar di dalam mahkamah itu), dan bidang kuasa dan kuasa mahkamah itu, yang hendaklah meliputi hanya perkara yang termasuk dalam perenggan ini sahaja dan tidaklah termasuk bidang kuasa berkenaan dengan kesalahan kecuali setakat yang diberikan oleh undang-undang persekutuan.
… (Jadual Kesembilan, Senarai IIA—Tambahan kepada Senarai Negeri bagi Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak, [Perkara 95B(1)(a)])
Customary Law
Niger
- 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
Zimbabwe
- English(1) The National Council of Chiefs and, within its province, a provincial assembly of Chiefs have the following functions—
(a) to protect, promote and develop Zimbabwe’s culture and traditions;
(b) to represent the views of traditional leaders and to maintain the integrity and status of traditional institutions;
(c) to protect, promote and advance the interests of traditional leaders;
(d) to consider representations and complaints made to it by traditional leaders;
(e) to define and enforce correct and ethical conduct on the part of traditional leaders and to develop their capacity for leadership;
(f) to facilitate the settlement of disputes between and concerning traditional leaders;
(g) to perform any other functions that may be conferred or imposed on it by an Act of Parliament.
(2) An Act of Parliament must ensure that—
(a) the National Council of Chiefs and all provincial assemblies of Chiefs are able to carry out their functions independently and efficiently; and
(b) persons employed by the National Council of Chiefs and provincial assemblies of Chiefs carry out their duties conscientiously and impartially. (Sec. 286)
Customary Law
Marshall Islands
- English(1) The Traditional Rights Court shall be a court of record; shall consist of panels of 3 or more judges selected so as to include a fair representation of all classes of land rights,9 including, where applicable, the Iroijiaplap, Iroijedrik, Alap and Dri Jerbal; and shall sit at such times and places and be chosen on such a geographical basis, as to ensure fair and knowledgeable exercise of the jurisdiction conferred by this Section.
(2) The size, membership and procedures of the Traditional Rights Court shall be consistent with paragraph (1) of this Section, and shall be determined by the High Court unless and until the Nitijela makes provision for those matters by Act.
(3) The jurisdiction of the Traditional Rights Court shall be limited to the determination of questions relating to titles or to land rights or to other legal interests depending wholly or partly on customary law and traditional practice in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
(4) The jurisdiction of the Traditional Rights Court may be invoked as of right upon application by a party to a pending judicial proceeding; but only if the court in which such proceeding is pending certifies that a substantial question has arisen within the jurisdiction of the Traditional Rights Court.
(5) When a question has been certified to the Traditional Rights Court for its determination under paragraph (4), its resolution of the question shall be given substantial weight in the certifying court’s disposition of the legal controversy before it; but shall not be deemed binding unless the certifying court concludes that justice so requires. (Art. VI, Sec. 4)
Customary Law
Tonga
- 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)
Customary Law
Ghana
- EnglishIn this Chapter9 unless the context otherwise requires, “chief” means a person, who, hailing from the appropriate family and lineage, has been validly nominated, elected or selected and enstooled, enskinned or installed as a chief or queenmother in accordance with the relevant customary law and usage. (Art. 277)
Customary Law
Eswatini
- English…
(10) The State shall take steps to encourage the integration of appropriate customary values into the fabric of national life through formal and informal education and shall ensure that appropriate customary and cultural values are adapted and developed as an integral part of the growing needs of the society as a whole.
… (Sec. 60)
Customary Law
Micronesia, Federated States of
- EnglishThe traditions of the people of the Federated States of Micronesia may be protected by statute. If challenged as violative of Article IV2, protection of Micronesian tradition shall be considered a compelling social purpose warranting such governmental action. (Art. V, Sec. 2)
Customary Law
South Africa
- English(1) National legislation may provide for a role for traditional leadership as an institution at local level on matters affecting local communities.
(2) To deal with matters relating to traditional leadership, the role of traditional leaders, customary law and the customs of communities observing a system of customary law
(a) national or provincial legislation may provide for the establishment of houses of traditional leaders; and
(b) national legislation may establish a council of traditional leaders. (Sec. 212)