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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.
ABOUT 30 RESULTS
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
Tonga
- EnglishTongan male subjects by birth of or over the age of 16 years may be granted town allotments and tax allotments out of estates granted in pursuance of this Constitution with the consent of or upon consultation with the estate holder and out of the lands of the Crown, by the Minister of Lands. Such allotments shall be hereditary and shall be of such size and at an annual rent as may be determined by law. A widow shall have the right to succeed according to law, to her deceased husband's tax and town allotments. (Clause 113)
- TonganKo e kakai tangata kuo fa‘ele‘i ko e Tonga ‘oku pe laka hake ‘i he 16 honau ta‘u motu‘a ‘e ngofua ke foaki atu ke nau ma‘u ‘api kolo mo ‘api tukuhau mei he ngaahi tofi‘a kuo foaki ‘o fakatatau mo e Konisitutone ‘i he loto ki ai pe ‘i ha feongoongoi mo e ma‘u tofi‘a pea mei he ngaahi tofi‘a ‘o e Pule‘anga, ‘e he Minisita Fonua. Kuo pau ke tukufakaholo ‘a e ngaahi ‘api koia pea ko e me‘a ki hono lahi mo e lisi fakata‘u kuo pau ke tu‘utu‘uni ki ai ‘a e lao. Kuo pau ke ma‘u ‘e he uitou fakatatau ki he lao ‘a e totonu ke ne ma‘u ‘a e ‘api tukuhau mo e ‘api kolo ‘o hono mali kuo pekia. (Kupu 113)
Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure
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)
Protection from Violence
Tonga
- EnglishNo person shall serve another against his will except he be undergoing punishment by law and any slave who may escape from a foreign country to Tonga (unless he be escaping from justice being guilty of homicide or theft or any great crime or involved in debt) shall be free from the moment he sets foot on Tongan soil for no person shall be in servitude under the protection of the flag of Tonga. (Clause 2)
- Tongan‘E ‘ikai ngaue fakatamaio‘eiki ‘e ha taha ki ha toko taha kapau ‘oku ‘ikai te ne loto ki ai ngata pe ‘i he ‘ene mo‘ua ki he lao pea ka hola ha popula mei ha fonua kehe ki Tonga ni (kapau ‘oku ‘ikai ko e hola mei he lao ‘o ha fonua ko e me‘a ‘i he ‘ene fakapo pe kaiha‘a pe ‘i he fai ha me‘a lahi pehē pe ha mo‘ua) te ne tau‘atāina leva ‘i he ‘ene tu‘uta ki Tonga ni koe‘uhi ‘e ‘ikai ‘aupito nofo fakapopula ha toko taha ‘oku nofo ‘i he malumalu ‘o e fuka ‘o Tonga. (Kupu 2)
Status of the Constitution
Tonga
- EnglishThis Constitution is the supreme law of the Kingdom and if any other law is inconsistent with this Constitution, that other law shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void. (Clause 82)
- TonganKoe Konisitutone ni ko e lao pule ia ‘o e Pule‘anga ni pea kapau ‘oku ‘i ai ha lao kehe ‘oku faikehekehe mo e Konisitutone, ko e lao kehe ko ia kuopau ke ta‘e‘aonga ia, ‘o fakatatau ki he ngata‘anga ‘o e faikehekehe ko ia. (Kupu 82)
Status of International Law
Tonga
- EnglishIt shall be lawful for the King to make treaties with Foreign States provided that such treaties shall be in accordance with the laws of the Kingdom.
… (Clause 39) - Tongan‘E ngofua ki he Tu‘i ke fai ‘a e ngaahi talite mo e ngaahi Pule‘anga Muli ka ‘oku ‘ikai ngofua ke ne fai ‘a e ngaahi talite ‘oku fai kehe mo e ngaahi lao ‘o e Pule‘anga ni.
… (Kupu 39)
Political Rights and Association
Tonga
- EnglishEvery Tongan subject of twenty-one years of age or more who is not a noble, is not insane or imbecile and is not disabled by the twenty-third clause shall, if registered as an elector, be entitled to vote in an election for representatives of the people to the Legislative Assembly and on the day appointed for election shall be exempt from summons for debt. A person resident outside of Tonga who is qualified to be an elector may vote at an election only if he is registered as an elector and present in Tonga for the election. (Clause 64)
- TonganKo e taha Tonga kotoa pe kuo kakato hono ta‘u uofulu ma taha pe lahi ange ‘oku ‘ikai ko ha nopele, ‘oku ‘ikai faha pe vale pea ‘oku ‘ikai fakatapui ia ‘e hono uofulu ma tolu ‘o e kupu, kapau kuo lesisita ko ha taha fili, ‘oku pau ke ngofua ke ne kau ‘i he fili ‘o e kau fakafofonga ‘o e kakai ki he Fale Alea, pea ‘i he ‘aho kuo tu‘utu‘uni ke fai ai ‘a e fili kuo pau ke faka‘ata ia mei hano faka‘ilo ko e ‘uhi ko ha mo‘ua. Ko ha taha ‘oku ‘ikai nofo ‘i Tonga ‘a ia ‘oku ngofua ke hoko ko e taha fili ‘e ngofua ke fili ‘i ha fili ‘o kapau pe ‘oku ‘osi lesisita ko e taha fili pea ‘oku lolotonga ‘i Tonga ki he fili. (Kupu 64)
Head of State
Tonga
- EnglishThe form of government for this Kingdom is a Constitutional Monarchy under His Majesty King George Tupou V and his successors. (Clause 30)
- TonganKo e anga ‘o e fai ‘a e Pule ‘o e Fonua ni ko e Pule‘anga Tu‘i Faka-Konisitutone ‘I he malumalu ‘o ‘Ene ‘Afio ko e Tu‘i ko Tupou VI mo kinautolu ‘e hoko kiate ia. (Kupu 30)
Head of State
Tonga
- EnglishThe King is the Sovereign of all the Chiefs and all the people. The person of the King is sacred. He reigns the country but ministers are responsible.
… (Clause 41) - TonganKo e Tu‘i ko e Pule ‘o e kau Nopele mo e kakai kotoa pe. ‘Oku toputapu ‘a e sino ‘o e Tu‘i. ‘Oku ‘iate ia ‘a hono pule ‘o e fonua ka ‘oku ‘i he ‘ene kau Minisita ‘a hono fai ‘a e ngaue ‘o e fonua (responsible). Neongo ‘e fokotu‘u ‘e he Fale Alea ‘a e ngaahi lao ‘e ‘ikai ke hoko kae ‘oua kuo ‘ai ki ai ‘e he Tu‘i hono huafa.
... (Kupu 41)
Head of State
Tonga
- English(1) It shall not be lawful for any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne to marry any person without the consent of the King. And if any person should thus marry the marriage shall not be considered legal and it shall be lawful for the King to cancel the right of such person and his heirs to succeed to the Crown of Tonga. And the next person in succession to him who so marries shall be declared the heir and the offender shall be regarded as dead.
(2) The expression “any member of the Royal Family who is likely to succeed to the throne” in the last preceding sub-clause shall be construed to include all persons born in lawful marriage and related by descent either lineally or collaterally to the King but not more than twenty times removed from the King. (Clause 33) - Tongan(1) ‘E ‘ikai si‘i ngofua ki ha taha ‘o e famili ‘o e Tu‘i ha taha ‘e faifai pea ngali hoko ki he Kalauni ke mali mo ha taha ‘oku ‘ikai loto ki ai ‘a e Tu‘i. Pea ka fai ha mali pehē‘e ‘ikai lau ko e mali fakalao ia pea ‘e ngofua ki he Tu‘i ke liliu ‘a e totonu ‘o e tokotaha ko ia ke ‘oua ‘aupito na‘a hoko ia ki he Kalauni ‘o Tonga pe ko hono hako. Pea ka fai ia ‘e ma‘u ia ‘e ia ‘oku hoko ki he tokotaha ko ia pea lau ko e ‘ea ia pea ko e talangata‘a ‘e lau ia ‘o hange kuo mate.
(2) Ko e kupu‘i lea ko “ha taha ‘e faifai pea ngali hoko ki he kalauni” ‘i he kupusi‘i faka‘osi kimu‘a angé, kuo pau ke faka‘uhinga‘i ia ke fakakau‘i ai ‘a kinautolu kotoa pē kuo fanau‘i ‘i he mali fakalao pea ‘oku fehokotaki ta‘ata‘a mo e Tu‘i ‘i he hohoko ‘o e hako tukufakaholo, pe hako ofi tahá ka he ‘ikai ke lahi hake ‘i he toko uofulu hono mama‘o ‘i he fakahokohoko mei he Tu‘i. (Kupu 33)
Head of State
Tonga
- EnglishThe right and title of King George Tupou I to the Crown and the Throne of this Kingdom were confirmed by the Constitution of 1875 and it was further declared in the said Constitution that the succession to the Crown and Throne should devolve upon David Uga and then upon Wellington Gu and then upon them begotten by him in marriage and if at any time there be no heirs of Wellington Gu the Crown and Throne shall descend in accordance with the following law of succession:
It shall be lawful only for those born in marriage to succeed.
The succession shall be to the eldest male child and the heirs of his body but if he should have no children to the second male child and the heirs of his body and so on until all the male line shall be 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 children it shall descend to the second female child and the heirs of her body until the female line is ended.
And if there shall be none of this line of David Uga lawful descendants by marriage to succeed to the Crown of Tonga it shall descend to William Tungi and his lawful heirs begotten by him in marriage and to their heirs begotten by them.
And if there should be no lawful heir the King shall appoint his heir if the House of Nobles consent to it (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and he shall be publicly declared heir to the Crown during the King's life.
Should there be no heir to the Crown or successor who has been so publicly proclaimed the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly (the representatives of the people having no voice in the matter) and when they meet the House of Nobles shall choose by ballot some one of the chiefs whom they wish to succeed as King. And he shall succeed as the first of a new dynasty and he and the heirs of his body born in marriage shall possess the Crown according to law.
And in the event of there being none to succeed according to this law the Prime Minister or in his absence the Cabinet ministers shall again convoke the nobles of the Legislative Assembly in accordance with this law and they shall choose one to succeed to the Throne as the first of a new dynasty and so on according to this law for ever. (Clause 32) - Tongan‘Oku ma‘u ‘a e Kalauni mo e Nofo‘anga Faka-Tu‘i ‘o e Pule‘anga ni ‘e he ‘Ene ‘Afio ko Kingi Siaosi Tupou I pea ‘oku fakapapau ni ‘e ma‘u ‘e ia pea mo ia na‘e tupu ‘iate ia ‘a Tevita ‘Unga pea mo ia na‘e tupu ai ‘a Uelingatoni Ngu mo kinautolu ‘e tupu ‘iate ia ko ‘ene fānau mali pea ka hala ia ‘o ‘ikai ha hako tupu mali ‘o Uelingatoni Ngu ‘e hoko ‘o hangē ko e lao ‘o e hokohoko ni:
Pea ko ‘eni ‘a e anga ‘o e hokohoko ‘e ngofua ke kau ‘i he hokohoko ni ‘a e fanau tupu mali pe.
Pea ‘e hoko ki he 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 pehē kae ‘oua kuo ‘osi ‘a e fānau tangata.
Pea ka ‘ikai ha tamasi‘i tangata ‘e hoko ki he ‘uluaki tamasi‘i fefine mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘o hono sino pea ka hala ia ‘o ‘ikai hano hako ‘e hoko ki hono ua ‘o e tamasi‘i fefine mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘o hono sino pea fai pehē pe kae ‘oua kuo ‘osi ‘a e fānau fefine.
Pea ka ‘ikai ha taha ‘iate kinautolu ‘o Tevita ‘Unga ko e fanau mali hoko totonu ke hoko ki he Kalauni ‘o e Tu‘i ‘o Tonga ‘e hoko kia Uiliami Tungi pe ko hono ngaahi ‘ea totonu ‘a ia ‘oku tupu ‘i hono sino ko e fānau mali pea mo e ngaahi ‘ea ‘oku tupu ‘iate kinautolu foki.
Pea ka ‘ikai ha ‘ea totonu ‘e fakanofo ‘e he Tu‘i ‘a hono ‘ea kapau ‘oku loto ki ai ‘a e Hou‘eiki Nopele (ka ‘oku ‘ikai kau ai ‘a e kau fakafofonga ‘o e kakai) pea ‘e fakahāhā ko e ‘ea ia ki he Kalauni ‘i he kei lakoifie ‘a e Tu‘i.
Pea ka faifai pea ‘ikai ha ‘ea mo e hoko totonu ki he Kalauni ha taha kuo fakahāhā‘o hangē ko e tu‘utu‘uni ni ‘e fakataha leva ‘e he Palemia pea ka mama‘o ia ‘e ‘i he Kapineti (ko e kau Minisita) ‘a e Hou‘eiki Nopele ‘o e Fale Alea (pea ‘e ‘ikai kau ai ‘a e kau fakafofonga ‘o e kakai) pea ka fakataha ‘e fili ‘e he hou‘eiki Nopele ‘o e Fale Alea ‘aki ‘a e paloti ha taha ‘o e Hou‘eiki ‘a ia ‘oku nau loto ki ai ke hoko ko e Tu‘i pea ‘e hoko ia ko e kamata‘anga ‘o e Ha‘a Tu‘i fo‘ou pea ‘e ma’u ‘e hono ngaahi ‘ea ‘oku tupu ‘iate ia ‘i hono sino ko e fānau mali ‘a e Kalauni ‘o hangē ko e lao ni
Pea ka faifai pea ‘ikai ha hoko ‘iate kinautolu ‘o hangē ko e lao ni ‘e toe fakataha ‘e he Palemia pea ka mama‘o ia ‘e ‘i he Kapineti mo e Hou‘eiki Nopele ‘o e Fale Alea ‘o hangē ko e tu‘utu‘uni ni pea te nau toe fili ha taha ke hoko ki he Kalauni ko e kamata‘anga ‘o e Ha‘a Tu‘i fo‘ou pea ‘e fai pehē ai pe ‘o hangē ko e lao ni ‘o lauikuonga. (Kupu 32)