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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.
Customary Law
- English(1) Traditional leaders have the following functions within their areas of jurisdiction—
(a) to promote and uphold cultural values of their communities and, in particular, to promote sound family values;
(b) to take measures to preserve the culture, traditions, history and heritage of their communities, including sacred shrines;
(c) to facilitate development;
(d) in accordance with an Act of Parliament, to administer Communal Land and to protect the environment;
(e) to resolve disputes amongst people in their communities in accordance with customary law; and
(f) to exercise any other functions conferred or imposed on them by an Act of Parliament.
(2) Except as provided in an Act of Parliament, traditional leaders have authority, jurisdiction and control over the Communal Land or other areas for which they have been appointed, and over persons within those Communal Lands or areas.
(3) In the performance of their functions, traditional leaders are not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority, except as may be prescribed in an Act of Parliament.
(4) An Act of Parliament must provide for the regulation of the conduct of traditional leaders. (Sec. 282)
Customary Law
- English…
(3) A woman shall not be compelled to undergo or uphold any custom to which she is in conscience opposed. (Sec. 28)
Customary Law
- English…
Communities composed of an indigenous people, [are] those that form a social, economic and cultural unity, living in a territory and that recognized their own authorities in accordance with their habits [usos] and customs.
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A. This Constitution recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and, consequently, to the autonomy to:
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II. Apply their own normative systems in the regulation and solution of their internal conflicts, subject to the general principles of this Constitution, respecting individual guarantees, human rights and, in relevant manner, the dignity and integrity of women. The law will establish the cases and procedures of validation by the corresponding judges or courts.
III. Elect according to their traditional norms, procedures and practices, the authorities or representatives for the exercise of their own forms of internal government, guaranteeing that indigenous women and men will enjoy and will exercise their right to vote and to be voted for in conditions of equality; as well as to accede to and to hold the public offices [cargos] and [offices] of public election for those that have been elected or designated, in a framework [that] respects the federal pact, the sovereignty of the States and the autonomy of the City of Mexico. In no case may communitarian practices limit the political electoral rights of [masculine and feminine] citizens in the election of their municipal authorities.
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VIII. Accede fully to jurisdictions of the State. To guarantee this right, in all the trials and proceedings in which they are parties, individually or collectively, their cultural customs and specifications must be taken into account respecting the precepts of this Constitution. The indigenous peoples have at all times the right to be assisted by interpreters and defenders who have knowledge of their language and culture.
… (Art. 2) - Spanish…
Son comunidades integrantes de un pueblo indígena, aquellas que formen una unidad social, económica y cultural, asentadas en un territorio y que reconocen autoridades propias de acuerdo con sus usos y costumbres.
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A. Esta Constitución reconoce y garantiza el derecho de los pueblos y las comunidades indígenas a la libre determinación y, en consecuencia, a la autonomía para:
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II. Aplicar sus propios sistemas normativos en la regulación y solución de sus conflictos internos, sujetándose a los principios generales de esta Constitución, respetando las garantías individuales, los derechos humanos y, de manera relevante, la dignidad e integridad de las mujeres. La ley establecerá los casos y procedimientos de validación por los jueces o tribunales correspondientes.
III. Elegir de acuerdo con sus normas, procedimientos y practices tradicionales, a las autoridades o representantes para el ejercicio de sus formas propias de gobierno interno, garantizando que las mujeres y los hombres indígenas disfrutarán y ejercerán su derecho de votar y ser votados en condiciones de igualdad; así como a acceder y desempeñar los cargos públicos y de elección popular para los que hayan sido electos o designados, en un marco que respite el pacto federal, la soberanía de los Estados y la autonomía de la Ciudad de México. En ningún caso las prácticas comunitarias podrán limitar los derechos político-electorales de los y las ciudadanas en la elección de sus autoridades municipales.
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VIII. Acceder plenamente a la jurisdicción del Estado. Para garantizar ese derecho, en todos los juicios y procedimientos en que sean parte, individual o colectivamente, se deberán tomar en cuenta sus costumbres y especificidades culturales respetando los preceptos de esta Constitución. Los indígenas tienen en todo tiempo el derecho a ser asistidos por intérpretes y defensores que tengan conocimiento de su lengua y cultura.
… (Art. 2)
Customary Law
- EnglishNotwithstanding anything in this Constitution,—
(a) no Act of Parliament in respect of
(i) religious or social practices of the Mizos,
(ii) Mizo customary law and procedure.
(iii) administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Mizo customary law,
(iv) ownership and transfer of land,
shall apply to the State of Mizoram unless the Legislative Assembly of the State of Mizoram by a resolution so decides:
Provided that nothing in this clause shall apply to any Central Act inforce in the Union territory of Mizoram immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (Fifty-third Amendment) Act, 1986;
… (Art. 371G) - Hindiइस संविधान में किसी बात के होते हुए भी,—
(क) निम्नलिखित के संबंध में संसद का कोई अधिनियम
(i) मिज़ो लोगों की धार्मिक या सामाजिक प्रथाएँ,
(ii) मिज़ो रूढ़िजन्य विधि और प्रक्रिया।
(iii) सिविल और दांडिक न्याय प्रशासन, जहां विनिश्चय मिज़ो रूढ़िजन्य विधि के अनुसार होने हैं,
(iv) भूमि का स्वामित्व और अंतरण,
मिजोरम राज्य को तब तक लागू नहीं होगा जब तक मिजोरम की विधान सभा संकल्प द्वारा ऐसा विनिश्चय नहीं करती है:
परंतु इस खंड की कोई बात, संविधान (तिरपनवाँ संशोधन) अधिनियम, 1986 के प्रारंभ से ठीक पहले मिजोरम संघ राज्यक्षेत्र में प्रवृत्त किसी केंद्रीय अधिनियम को लागू नहीं होगी;
… (अनुच्छेद 371छ)
Customary Law
- English
The Gabonese people,
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Solemnly proclaim their adherence to their profound and traditional social values, to their cultural, material and spiritual patrimony, to respect for the freedoms, the rights and the duties of the citizen.
… (Preamble) - French
Le peuple gabonais,
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Proclame solennellement son attachement à ses valeurs sociales profondes et traditionnelles, à son patrimoine culturel, matériel et spirituel, au respect des libertés, des droits et des devoirs du citoyen.
… (Préambule)
Customary Law
- EnglishSubject to paragraph 3 of Article 160 the courts of the Republic shall have power to apply also the relevant communal laws other than those relating to personal status and to religious matters. (Art. 161)
- GreekTηρουμένων των διατάξεων της τρίτης παραγράφου του άρθρου 160 τα δικαστήρια της Δημοκρατίας έχουσιν εξουσίαν να εφαρμόζωσι και τους οικείους κοινοτικούς νόμους πλην των περί προσωπικού θεσμού και των θρησκευτικών θεμάτων νόμων. (Αρθρον 161)
- Turkish160. maddenin 3. fıkrasına tabi olarak, Cumhuriyet Mahkemeleri, kişisel statü ve dini konularla ilgili olanlar dışındaki ilgili toplumsal yasaları da uygulama yetkisine sahiptir. (Madde 161)
Customary Law
- English…
(3) No woman shall be subjected to physical, mental, sexual, psychological or other form of violence or exploitation on grounds of religion, social, cultural tradition, practice or on any other grounds. Such act shall be punishable by law, and the victim shall have the right to obtain compensation in accordance with law.
… (Art. 38) - Nepali…
(३) महिला विरुद्व धार्मिक, सामाजिक, सांस्कृतिक परम्परा, प्रचलन वा अन्य कुनै आधारमा शारीरिक, मानसिक, यौनजन्य, मनोवैज्ञानिक वा अन्य कुनै किसिमको हिंसाजन्य कार्य वा शोषण गरिने छैन । त्यस्तो कार्य कानून बमोजिम दण्डनीय हुनेछ र पीडितलाई कानून बमोजिम क्षतिपूर्ति पाउने हक हुनेछ ।
... (धारा ३८)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe State, subject to the provisions of this Constitution and national development policies and programs, shall protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to their ancestral lands to ensure their economic, social, and cultural well-being.
The Congress may provide for the applicability of customary laws governing property rights or relations in determining the ownership and extent of ancestral domain. (Art. XII, Sec. 5) - FilipinoDapat pangalagaan ng Estado, batay sa mga tadhana ng Konstitusyong ito at sa mga patakaran at mga programa sa pagpapaunlad ng bansa, ang mga karapatan ng mga katutubong pamayanang kultural sa kanilang minanang lupain upang matiyak ang kanilang kagalinang ekonomiko, panlipunan, at pangkultura.
Maaaring magtakda ang Kongreso para sa pagpapairal ng mga nakaugaliang batas hinggil sa mga karapatan o mga ugnayan sa ariarian sa pagtiyak sa pagmamay-ari ng minanang lupain. (Art. XII, Seksyon 5)
Customary Law
- English1. Subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
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3. In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status 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) shall not apply to any law to the extent that that law makes provision—
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b. for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) (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 which is the personal law of persons of that description;
c. for the application of the customary law of Lesotho with respect to any matter in the case of persons who, under that law, are subject to that law;
… (Sec. 18)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe Council of Iroij shall have the following functions:
(a) the Council may consider any matter of concern to the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and it may express its opinion thereon to the Cabinet;
(b) the Council may request, in accordance with Section 3 of this Article, the reconsideration of any Bill affecting the customary law, or any traditional practice, or land tenure, or any related matter, which has been adopted on the third reading by the Nitijela;
(c) the Council shall have such other functions as may be conferred on it by or pursuant to Act. (Art. III, Sec. 2)