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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
- EnglishEach rural, native, or indigenous autonomy shall draft its Statute according to its own norms and procedures, in conformity with the Constitution and the law. (Art. 292)
- SpanishCada autonomía indígena originario campesina elaborará su Estatuto, de acuerdo a sus normas y procedimientos propios, según la Constitución y la Ley. (Art. 292)
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
- English
Indians shall have their social organization, customs, languages, creeds and traditions recognized, as well as their original rights to the lands they traditionally occupy, it being incumbent upon the Union to demarcate them, protect and ensure respect for all of their property.
Paragraph 1. Lands traditionally occupied by Indians are those on which they live on a permanent basis, those used for their productive activities, those indispensable to the preservation of the environmental resources necessary for their well-being and for their physical and cultural reproduction, according to their uses, customs and traditions.
… (Art. 231) - Portuguese
São reconhecidos aos índios sua organização social, costumes, línguas, crenças e tradições, e os direitos originários sobre as terras que tradicionalmente ocupam, competindo à União demarcá-las, proteger e fazer respeitar todos os seus bens.
§ 1º São terras tradicionalmente ocupadas pelos índios as por eles habitadas em caráter permanente, as utilizadas para suas atividades produtivas, as imprescindíveis à preservação dos recursos ambientais necessários a seu bem-estar e as necessárias a sua reprodução física e cultural, segundo seus usos, costumes e tradições.
... (Art. 231)
Customary Law
- English1. Subject to the provision of paragraph (4), (5) and (9) of this Article no law shall make any provision which is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
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3. In this Article, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different person attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, place of origin political opinions colour or creed whereby person of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which person 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. Paragraph (1) of this Article shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision-
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c. with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other matters of personal law;
… (Art. 26)
Customary Law
- English…
II. In the framework of the unity of the State, and in accordance with this Constitution, the nations and rural native indigenous peoples enjoy the following rights:
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2. To their cultural identity, religious belief, spiritualities, practices and customs, and their own world view.
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14. To the practice of their political, juridical and economic systems in accord with their world view. (Art. 30) - Spanish…
II. En el marco de la unidad del Estado y de acuerdo con esta Constitución las naciones y pueblos indígena originario campesinos gozan de los siguientes derechos:
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2. A su identidad cultural, creencia religiosa, espiritualidades, prácticas y costumbres, y a su propia cosmovisión.
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14. Al ejercicio de sus sistemas políticos, jurídicos y económicos acorde a su cosmovisión. (Art. 30)
Customary Law
- EnglishGuatemala is formed by diverse ethnic groups among which are found the indigenous groups of Mayan descent. The State recognizes, respects, and promotes their forms of life, customs, traditions, forms of social organization, the use of the indigenous attire by men and women, [and their] languages and dialects. (Art. 66)
- SpanishGuatemala está formada por diversos grupos étnicos entre los que figuran los grupos indígenas de ascendencia maya. El Estado reconoce, respeta y promueve sus formas de vida, costumbres, tradiciones, formas de organización social, el uso del traje indígena en hombres y mujeres, idiomas y dialectos. (Art. 66)
Customary Law
- English...
II. The self-governance of the rural native indigenous autonomies is exercised according to their norms, institutions, authorities and procedures, in accordance with their authority and competences, and in harmony with the Constitution and the law. (Art. 290) - Spanish…
II. El autogobierno de las autonomías indígenas originario campesinas se ejercerá de acuerdo a sus normas, instituciones, autoridades y procedimientos, conforme a sus atribuciones y competencias, en armonía con la Constitución y la ley. (Art. 290)
Customary Law
- EnglishIn conformity with the Constitution and the laws, the indigenous territories will be governed by councils formed and regulated according to the usages and customs of their communities … (Art. 330)
- SpanishDe conformidad con la Constitución y las leyes, los territorios indígenas estarán gobernados por consejos conformados y reglamentados según los usos y costumbres de sus comunidades … (Art. 330)
Customary Law
- English
The communities of the Caribbean Coast have the inalienable right to live and to develop themselves under the political-administrative, social and cultural form of organization that correspond to their historic and cultural traditions.
The members of the Autonomous Regional Councils will be elected by the People through universal, equal, direct, free and secret suffrage for a term [periodo] of five years, in accordance with the law.
The State guarantees to these communities the benefits of their natural resources, the effectiveness of their forms of community ownership and the free election of their authorities and representatives.
In the same way, it guarantees the preservation of their cultures and languages, religions and customs. (Art. 180) - Spanish
Las comunidades de la Costa Caribe tienen el derecho inalienable de vivir y desarrollarse bajo la forma de organización político-administrativa, social y cultural que corresponde a sus tradiciones históricas y culturales.
Los miembros de los Consejos Regionales Autónomos serán elegidos por el pueblo mediante el sufragio universal, igual, directo, libre y secreto por un período de cinco años, de conformidad con la ley.
El Estado garantiza a estas comunidades el disfrute de sus recursos naturales, la efectividad de sus formas de propiedad comunal y la libre elección de sus autoridades y representantes.
Asimismo, garantiza la preservación de sus culturas y lenguas, religiones y costumbres. (Art. 180)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe legitimate authorities of the native peoples shall have the power to apply within their territorial competence levels of administration of justice based on their ancestral traditions and affecting their members only, in accordance to their own rules and proceedings, provided the same are not contrary to this Constitution, law and public order. The manner in which this special competence shall be coordinated with the national judicial system shall be determined by law. (Art. 260)
- SpanishLas autoridades legítimas de los pueblos indígenas podrán aplicar en su hábitat instancias de justicia con base en sus tradiciones ancestrales y que sólo afecten a sus integrantes, según sus propias normas y procedimientos, siempre que no sean contrarios a esta Constitución, a la ley y al orden público. La ley determinará la forma de coordinación de esta jurisdicción especial con el sistema judicial nacional. (Art. 260)