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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) In the exercise of its legislative functions, it shall be the responsibility of the Nitijela, whenever and to the extent considered appropriate, to declare, by Act, the customary law in the Republic of the Marshall Islands or in any part thereof. The customary law so declared may include any provisions which, in the opinion of the Nitijela, are necessary or desirable to supplement the established rules of customary law or to take account of any traditional practice.
(2) This Section shall not be construed to authorize the making of any law that would defeat an otherwise valid claim under Article II.
(3) The Nitijela shall not proceed further than the first reading of any Bill or amendment to a Bill which, in the opinion of the Speaker, makes provision for any declaration pursuant to paragraph (1) of this Section unless a joint committee of the Council of Iroij and the Nitijela has been afforded a reasonable opportunity to make a report on the matters dealt within that Bill or amendment, and any such report has been published. (Art. X, Sec. 2)
Customary Law
- English…
(3) The following persons shall be citizens of Namibia by marriage:
(a) those who are not Namibian citizens under Sub-Article (1) or (2) hereof and who:
(aa) in good faith marry a Namibian citizen or, prior to the coming into force of this Constitution, in good faith married a person who would have qualified for Namibian citizenship if this Constitution had been in force; and
(bb) subsequent to such marriage have ordinarily resided in Namibia as the spouse of such person for a period of not less than ten (10) years; and
(cc) apply to become citizens of Namibia;
(b) for the purposes of this Sub-Article (and without derogating from any effect that it may have for any other purposes) a marriage by customary law shall be deemed to be a marriage: provided that nothing in this Constitution shall preclude Parliament from enacting legislation which defines the requirements which need to be satisfied for a marriage by customary law to be recognised as such for the purposes of this Sub-Article.
… (Art. 4)
Customary Law
- English(1) Subject to this Part, the principles and rules that formed, immediately before Independence Day, the principles and rules of common law and equity in England are adopted, and shall be applied and enforced, as part of the underlying law, except if, and to the extent that-
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(c) in their application to any particular matter they are inconsistent with custom as adopted by Part I. (Schedule 2.2)
Customary Law
- English(1) The institution of Chieftaincy as established by customary law and usage and its non- abolition by legislation is hereby guaranteed and preserved.
(2) Without derogating from the generality of the provisions of subsection (1), no provision of law in so far as it provides for the abolition of the office of Paramount Chief as existing by customary law and usage immediately before the entry into force of this Constitution, shall have effect unless it is included in an Act of Parliament and the provisions of Section 108 shall apply in relation to the Bill for such an Act as they apply in relation to the Bill for an Act of Parliament that alters any of the provisions of this Constitution that are referred to in subsection (3) of that section.
(3) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with, or in contravention of, the provisions of subsection (1) to the extent that the law in question makes provision for the determination, in accordance with appropriate customary law and usage, of the validity of the nomination, election, unseating or replacement of any Paramount Chief, or the question of restraining in any way the exercise of any rights, duties, privileges or functions conferred upon, or enjoyed by him, by virtue of his office or the installation or deposition of a person as a Paramount Chief.
(4) A Paramount Chief may be removed from office by the President for any gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office if after a public inquiry conducted under the Chairmanship of a Judge of the High Court or a Justice of Appeal or a Justice of the Supreme Court, the Commission of Inquiry makes an adverse finding against the Paramount Chief, and the President is of the opinion that it is in the public interest that the Paramount Chief should be removed.
(5) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and in furtherance of the provisions of this section, Parliament shall make laws for the qualifications, election, powers, functions, removal and other matters connected with Chieftaincy. (Sec. 72)
Customary Law
- 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
- English…
6. The objects of local government shall be to:
…
i. acknowledge and incorporate the role of Traditional Authority and customary law in the local government system;
… (Art. 166)
Customary Law
- English
1 No person may cover their face in public spaces or in places that are accessible to the public or where services are offered to anyone wishing to partake of them; the ban does not apply to places of worship.
2 No person may force another person to cover their face on the grounds of their sex.
3 The law shall provide for exceptions. These may only be justified on the grounds of health, safety, weather conditions or local custom. (Art. 10a) - French
1 Nul ne peut se dissimuler le visage dans l’espace public, ni dans les lieux accessibles au public ou dans lesquels sont fournies des prestations ordinairement accessibles par tout un chacun; l’interdiction n’est pas applicable dans les lieux de culte.
2 Nul ne peut contraindre une personne de se dissimuler le visage en raison de son sexe.
3 La loi prévoit des exceptions. Celles-ci ne peuvent être justifiées que par des raisons de santé ou de sécurité, par des raisons climatiques ou par des coutumes locales. (Art. 10a) - German
1 Niemand darf sein Gesicht im öffentlichen Raum und an Orten verhüllen, die öffentlich zugänglich sind oder an denen grundsätzlich von jedermann beanspruchbare Dienstleistungen angeboten werden; das Verbot gilt nicht für Sakralstätten.
2 Niemand darf eine Person zwingen, ihr Gesicht aufgrund ihres Geschlechts zu verhüllen.
3 Das Gesetz sieht Ausnahmen vor. Diese umfassen ausschliesslich Gründe der Gesundheit, der Sicherheit, der klimatischen Bedingungen und des einheimischen Brauchtums. (Art. 10a) - Italian
1 Nessuno può dissimulare il proprio viso negli spazi pubblici né nei luoghi accessibili al pubblico o nei quali sono fornite prestazioni in linea di massima accessibili a ognuno; il divieto non si applica ai luoghi di culto.
2 Nessuno può obbligare una persona a dissimulare il viso a causa del suo sesso.
3 La legge prevede eccezioni. Queste possono essere giustificate esclusivamente da motivi inerenti alla salute, alla sicurezza, alle condizioni climatiche e alle usanze locali. (Art. 10a)
Customary Law
- English1. Except as provided in this Article, no property of any description shall be compulsorily taken possession of, and no interest in or right over property of any description shall be compulsorily acquired, unless by or under the authority of an Act of Parliament which provides for payment of adequate compensation for the property or interest or right to be taken possession of or acquired.
2. Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of clause (1) to the extent that it is shown that such law provides for the taking possession or acquisition of any property or interest therein or right thereover—
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y. for the purpose of the administration or disposition of such property or interest or right by the President in implementation of a comprehensive land policy or of a policy designed to ensure that the statute law, the Common Law and the doctrines of equity relating to or affecting the interest in or rights over land, or any other interests or right enjoyed by Chiefs and persons claiming through and under them, shall apply with substantial uniformity throughout Zambia;
… (Art. 16)
Customary Law
- English
The freedom of belief, of non-belief, of conscience, of religious opinion, [of] philosophy, of exercise of belief, the freedom of assembly, the free practice of custom as well as the freedom of procession and of demonstration, are guaranteed by this Constitution, under reserve of respect for the law, for public order, for good morals and for the human person. (Art. 7)
- French
La liberté de croyance, de non croyance, de conscience, d’opinion religieuse, philosophique, d’exercice de culte, la liberté de réunion, la pratique de la coutume ainsi que la liberté de cortège et de manifestation sont garanties par la présente Constitution, sous réserve du respect de la loi, de l’ordre public, des bonnes mœurs et de la personne humaine. (Art. 7)
Customary Law
- English(1) The judiciary of Zimbabwe consists of—
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(f) persons presiding over magistrates courts, customary law courts and other courts established by or under an Act of Parliament.
… (Sec. 163)