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.
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
- EnglishThe authorities of the indigenous peoples can exercise their jurisdictional functions within their territorial scope, in conformity with their own norms and procedures, as long as these are not contrary to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. The law will establish the forms of coordination of this special jurisdiction with the national judicial system. (Art. 246)
- SpanishLas autoridades de los pueblos indígenas podrán ejercer funciones jurisdiccionales dentro de su ámbito territorial, de conformidad con sus propias normas y procedimientos, siempre que no sean contrarios a la Constitución y leyes de la República. La ley establecerá las formas de coordinación de esta jurisdicción especial con el sistema judicial nacional. (Art. 246)
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(1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (4), (5) and (7) of this section, no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.
…
(3) In this section, the expression “discriminatory” means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by sex, race, place of origin, political opinions, colour or creed whereby persons of one such description are subject 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) of this section shall not apply to any law far as that law makes provision-
…
(c) for the application, in the case of persons of any such description as is mentioned in subsection (3) of this section (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;
… (Sec. 13)
Customary Law
- EnglishIndigenous communes, communities, peoples and nations are recognized and guaranteed, in conformity with the Constitution and human rights agreements, conventions, declarations and other international instruments, the following collective rights:
…
10. To create, develop, apply and practice their own legal system or common law, which cannot infringe constitutional rights, especially those of women, children and adolescents.
…
The State shall guarantee the enforcement of these collective rights without any discrimination, in conditions of equality and equity between men and women. (Art. 57) - SpanishSe reconoce y garantizará a las comunas, comunidades, pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas, de conformidad con la Constitución y con los pactos, convenios, declaraciones y demás instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos, los siguientes derechos colectivos:
…
10. Crear, desarrollar, aplicar y practicar su derecho propio o consuetudinario, que no podrá vulnerar derechos constitucionales, en particular de las mujeres, niñas, niños y adolescentes.
…
El Estado garantizará la aplicación de estos derechos colectivos sin discriminación alguna, en condiciones de igualdad y equidad entre mujeres y hombres. (Art. 57)
Customary Law
- EnglishThe authorities of the indigenous communities, peoples, and nations shall perform jurisdictional duties, on the basis of their ancestral traditions and their own system of law, within their own territories, with a guarantee for the participation of, and decision-making by, women. The authorities shall apply their own standards and procedures for the settlement of internal disputes, as long as they are not contrary to the Constitution and human rights enshrined in international instruments.
The State shall guarantee that the decisions of indigenous jurisdiction are observed by public institutions and authorities. These decisions shall be subject to monitoring of their constitutionality. The law shall establish the mechanisms for coordination and cooperation between indigenous jurisdiction and regular jurisdiction. (Art. 171) - SpanishLas autoridades de las comunidades, pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas ejercerán funciones jurisdiccionales, con base en sus tradiciones ancestrales y su derecho propio, dentro de su ámbito territorial, con garantía de participación y decisión de las mujeres. Las autoridades aplicarán normas y procedimientos propios para la solución de sus conflictos internos, y que no sean contrarios a la Constitución y a los derechos humanos reconocidos en instrumentos internacionales.
El Estado garantizará que las decisiones de la jurisdicción indígena sean respetadas por las instituciones y autoridades públicas. Dichas decisiones estarán sujetas al control de constitucionalidad. La ley establecerá los mecanismos de coordinación y cooperación entre la jurisdicción indígena y la jurisdicción ordinaria. (Art. 171)
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(1) Subject to the provisions of this article -
(a) no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect; and
(b) no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority.
(2) In this article the expression ‘discriminatory’ means affording different treatment to different persons attributable wholly or mainly to their or their parents’ or guardians’ respective descriptions by race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, age, disability, marital status, sex, gender, language, birth, social class, pregnancy, religion, conscience, belief or culture whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which other persons of the same or another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not afforded to persons of another such description.
(3) Paragraph (1)(a) shall not apply to any law so far as that law makes provision -
…
(b) with respect to adoption, marriage, divorce, burial, devolution of property on death or other matters of personal law;
… (Art. 149)
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.
…
A. This Constitution recognizes and guarantees the right of indigenous peoples and communities to self-determination and, consequently, to the autonomy to:
…
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.
…
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.
…
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:
…
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.
…
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
…
The Communities of the Caribbean Coast have the right to preserve and to develop their cultural identity within the national unity; to be granted their own forms of social organization, and to administer their local affairs in accordance with their traditions.
... (Art. 89) - Spanish
…
Las comunidades de la Costa Caribe tienen el derecho de preservar y desarrollar su identidad cultural en la unidad nacional; dotarse de sus propias formas de organización social y administrar sus asuntos locales conforme a sus tradiciones.
… (Art. 89)