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.

ABOUT 41 RESULTS

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Solomon Islands
  • English
    Parliament 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

Vanuatu
  • English
    1. 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)
  • French
    1) 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)

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

Tonga
  • English
    The 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)
  • Tongan
    Ko 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)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Palau
  • English
    Only citizens of Palau and corporations wholly owned by citizens of Palau may acquire title to land or waters in Palau. (Art. XIII, Sec. 8)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Samoa
  • English
    It shall not be lawful or competent for any person to make any alienation or disposition of customary land or of any interest in customary land, whether by way of sale, mortgage or otherwise howsoever, nor shall customary land or any interest therein be capable of being taken in execution or be assets for the payment of the debts of any person on his decease or insolvency:
    PROVIDED THAT an Act of Parliament may authorise:
    (a) the granting of a lease or licence of any customary land or of any interest therein;
    (b) the taking of any customary land or any interest therein for public purposes. (Art. 102)
  • Samoan
    O le a le tusa ai ma le tulafono po o le le mafai e so o se tagata ona faaliliueseina atu po o le aveesea mai ia te ia o eleele tau le aganuu po o se itu e tau atu ai i eleele tau le aganuu, i se auala o le faatau atu, lisi, laisene, mokesi, po o se tasi lava faiga, o le a le mafaia lava se eleele tau le aganuu po o se itu e tau i ai ona avea i le faamaapeina po o le fai ma mea e totogiina ai ni aitalafu a so o se tagata ina ua maliu po o le le mafai ona togia o aitalafu:
    VAGANA AI ONA UA FAAPEA, o se Tulafono a le Palemene e mafai ona faatagaina:
    (a) le tuuina atu o se lisi po o se laisene o so o se eleele faale-aganuu po o so o se itu e tau atu i ai i lea eleele;
    (e) le aveina o so o se eleele faale-aganuu po o le tau i ai i lea eleele mo galuega tau le Malo. (Mataupu 102)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Vanuatu
  • English
    1. The Republic of Vanuatu recognises, that, subject to any restrictions imposed by law on non-citizens and holders of dual citizenship who are not indigenous or naturalised citizens, all persons are entitled to the following fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual without discrimination on the grounds of race, place of origin, religious or traditional beliefs, political opinions, language or sex but subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and to the legitimate public interest in defence, safety, public order, welfare and health –
    …
    j. protection for the privacy of the home and other property and from unjust deprivation of property;
    … (Art. 5)
  • French
    1) Sous réserve des restrictions que la Loi peut imposer aux non-citoyens et aux détenteurs de la double nationalité qui ne sont pas indigènes ou citoyens naturalisés et dans le respect des droits et libertés d'autrui et de l'intérêt public légitime en matière de défense, de sécurité, d'ordre public, de prospérité et de santé, la République de Vanuatu reconnaît que toute personne, sans distinction de race, lieu d'origine, croyances religieuses ou traditionnelles, opinions politiques, langue ou sexe jouit des droits fondamentaux et les libertés individuelles suivants:
    ...
    j) les garanties contre la violation du domicile et des autres biens, et contre l'expropriation injuste du patrimoine;
    ... (Art. 5)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Fiji
  • English
    (1) The ownership of all iTaukei land shall remain with the customary owners of that land and iTaukei land shall not be permanently alienated, whether by sale, grant, transfer or exchange, except to the State in accordance with section 27.
    (2) Any iTaukei land acquired by the State for a public purpose after the commencement of this Constitution under section 27 or under any written law shall revert to the customary owners if the land is no longer required by the State.
    (3) The ownership of all Rotuman land shall remain with the customary owners of that land and Rotuman land shall not be permanently alienated, whether by sale, grant, transfer or exchange, except to the State in accordance with section 27.
    (4) Any Rotuman land acquired by the State for a public purpose after the commencement of this Constitution under section 27 or under any written law shall revert to the customary owners if the land is no longer required by the State.
    (5) The ownership of all Banaban land shall remain with the customary owners of that land and Banaban land shall not be permanently alienated, whether by sale, grant, transfer or exchange, except to the State in accordance with section 27.
    (6) Any Banaban land acquired by the State for a public purpose after the commencement of this Constitution under section 27 or under any written law shall revert to the customary owners if the land is no longer required by the State. (Sec. 28)
  • iTaukei
    (1) Na qele ni iTaukei mera taukena tiko ga na itaukei ni qele, ena sega tale ga ni rawa ni volitaki, soli, tokitaki se veisautaki, vakavo ni tauri Vakamatanitu me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27.
    (2) Ke dua na qele ni iTaukei e taura na Matanitu ena dua na inaki raraba ni oti na kena taurivaki na Yavunivakavulewa qo me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27 se ena dua na lawa tabaki, me na vakasukai tale vei ira na kena itaukei ke sa sega ni vakayagataka na qele na Matanitu.
    (3) Na qele ni Rotuma mera taukena tiko ga na itaukei ni qele, ena sega tale ga ni rawa ni volitaki, soli, tokitaki se veisautaki, vakavo ni tauri Vakamatanitu me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27.
    (4) Ke dua na qele ni Rotuma e taura na Matanitu ena dua na inaki raraba ni oti na kena taurivaki na Yavunivakavulewa qo me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27 se ena dua na lawa tabaki, me na vakasukai tale vei ira na kena itaukei ke sa sega ni vakayagataka na qele na Matanitu.
    (5) Na qele ni Rabi mera taukena tiko ga na itaukei ni qele, ena sega tale ga ni rawa ni volitaki, soli, tokitaki se veisautaki, vakavo ni tauri Vakamatanitu me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27.
    (6) Ke dua na qele ni Rabi e taura na Matanitu ena dua na inaki raraba ni oti na kena taurivaki na Yavunivakavulewa qo me vaka e virikotori ena tikina 27 se ena dua na lawa tabaki, me na vakasukai tale vei ira na kena itaukei ke sa sega ni vakayagataka na qele na Matanitu. (Sec. 28)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Solomon Islands
  • English
    The right to hold or acquire a perpetual interest in land shall vest in any person who is a Solomon Islander and only in such other person or persons as may be prescribed by Parliament. (Sec. 110)

Property, Inheritance and Land Tenure

Vanuatu
  • English
    1. Parliament by enactment shall formalise the recognition of appropriate customary institutions or procedures to resolve land ownership or any disputes over custom land.
    2. Parliament may recognise an institution as a customary institution by enactment for the purposes of subarticle (1).
    ... (Art. 78)
  • French
    1) Le Parlement formalise par la Loi la reconnaissance d’une institution coutumière compétente ou d’une procédure pertinente pour résoudre la question de propriété foncière ou tout litige lié aux terres coutumières.
    2) Le Parlement peut, par la loi, reconnaître une institution coutumière aux fins du paragraphe 1).
    ... (Art. 78)