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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
Lao People’s Democratic Republic, English
The State pursues the policy of promoting unity and equality among all ethnic groups. All ethnic groups have the right to protect, preserve and promote the fine customs and cultures of their own and of the nation. All acts creating division and discrimination among ethnic groups are prohibited.
… (Art. 8)
Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lao
ລັດ ປະຕິບັດນະໂຍບາຍສາມັກຄີ ແລະ ສະເໝີພາບ ລະຫວ່າງຊົນເຜົ່າຕ່າງໆ. ທຸກຊົນເຜົ່າລ້ວນແຕ່ມີສິດປົກປັກຮັກສາ, ເສີມຂະຫຍາຍຮີດຄອງປະເພນີ ແລະ ວັດທະນະທຳອັນດີງາມຂອງຕົນແລະ ຂອງຊາດ. ຫ້າມທຸກການກະທຳທີ່ເປັນການແບ່ງແຍກ ແລະ ການປະພຶດທີ່ເປັນການຈຳແນກ ລະຫວ່າງຊົນເຜົ່າ.
… (ມາດຕາ. 8)
Customary Law
Brunei Darussalam, English
(1) There shall be established a Majlis Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat (to be known in English as the Adat Istiadat Council) which shall consist of a Chairman and other members, all of whom shall be appointed by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan and hold office during His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan’s pleasure.
(2) The Adat Istiadat Council shall be the authority responsible for advising His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan on matters relating to Adat Istiadat or State custom:
Provided that His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan is not bound to act in accordance with the advice of the Adat Istiadat Council.
... (Sec. 3A)
Brunei Darussalam, Malay
(1) Hendaklah diadakan Majlis Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat yang terdiri daripada seorang Pengerusi dan ahli-ahli lain, yang kesemuanya dilantik oleh Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan dan memegang jawatan selama tempoh selagi diperkenankan oleh Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan.
(2) Majlis Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat adalah badan yang bertanggungjawab untuk menyembahkan nasihat ke hadapan majlis Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan mengenai perkara-perkara yang berhubung dengan Adat Istiadat Negara:
Dengan syarat bahawa Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan tidak terikat untuk bertindak menurut nasihat Majlis Mesyuarat Adat Istiadat.
... (Sec. 3A)
Customary Law
Singapore, English
(1) In this Constitution, unless it is otherwise provided or the context otherwise requires —
…
“law” includes written law and any legislation of the United Kingdom or other enactment or instrument whatsoever which is in operation in Singapore and the common law in so far as it is in operation in Singapore and any custom or usage having the force of law in Singapore;
… (Art. 2)
Customary Law
Cyprus, English
1. The Communal Chambers shall, in relation to their respective Community, have competence to exercise within the limits of this Constitution and subject to paragraph 3 of this Article, legislative power solely with regard to the following matters:—
…
c. personal status;
d. The composition and instances (βαθμούς δικαιοδοσίας - dereceleri) of courts dealing with civil disputes relating to personal status and to religious matters;
… (Art. 87)
Cyprus, Greek
Εκατέρα Κοινοτική Συνέλευσις έχει αρμοδιότητα, εν σχέσει προς την αντίστοιχον κοινότητα, να ασκεί, ενός των ορίων του Συντάγματος και υπό τους περιορισμούς της τρίτης παραγράφου του παρόντος άρθρου, νομοθετικήν εξουσίαν αποκλειστικώς και μόνον επί των κατωτέρω θεμάτων:
…
(γ) επί του προσωπικού θεσμού,
(δ) επί της συνθέσεως και των βαθμών δικαιοδοσίας των δικαστηρίων, των εκδικαζόντων αστικάς διαφοράς, αναφερομένας εις τον προσωπικόν θεσμόν και εις θρησκευτικά ζητήματα,
… (Αρθρον 87)
Cyprus, Turkish
1. Topluluk odaları, kendi Topluluklarıyla ilgili olarak, bu Anayasanın sınırları dahilinde ve bu maddenin 3. paragrafına tabi olarak, yalnızca AŞAĞIDAKİLERLE ilgili yasama yetkisine sahip olacaktır matters:-
...
c. kişisel durum;
d. kişisel statü ve dini konularla ilgili medeni uyuşmazlıklarla ilgilenen mahkemelerin bileşimi ve örnekleri;
...(Madde 87)
Customary Law
Cyprus, English
1. A communal law made by the Communal Chamber concerned shall, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, provide for the establishment, composition and jurisdiction of courts to deal with civil disputes relating to personal status and to religious matters which are reserved for the competence of the Communal Chambers by the provisions of this Constitution.
…
3. Any such court as aforesaid in the exercise of its jurisdiction, shall apply the laws made by the Communal Chamber concerned: Provided that nothing in this paragraph contained shall preclude a court of the Republic from applying in a case, where an issue relating to personal status or to religious matters is raised incidentally, the relevant communal law. (Art. 160)
Cyprus, Greek
1. Tηρουμένων των διατάξεων του Συντάγματος, κοινοτικός νόμος, ψηφιζόμενος υπό Kοινοτικής Συνελεύσεως, θέλει προβλέψει περί της ιδρύσεως, της συνθέσεως και της δικαιοδοσίας δικαστηρίων, άτινα θα δικάζωσι τας αστικάς διαφοράς, τας αφορώσας εις τον προσωπικόν θεσμόν και εις θρησκευτικά ζητήματα, τα οποία υπάγονται κατά τας διατάξεις του Συντάγματος εις την αρμοδιότητα των Kοινοτικών Συνελεύσεων.
…
3. Eν τη ενασκήσει της δικαιοδοσίας αυτών τα ανωτέρω δικαστήρια εφαρμόζουσι τούς υπέρ της οικείας Kοινοτικής Συνελεύσεως ψηφιζομένους νόμους’ αι διατάξεις όμως της παραγράφου ταύτης δεν αποκλείουσι το δικαίωμα δικαστηρίου της Δημοκρατίας να εφαρμόση τον σχετικόν κοινοτικόν νόμον επί υποθέσεως, καθ’ ην παρεμπιπτόντως εγείρεται ζήτημα προσωπικού θεσμού ή θρησκευτικόν ζήτημα. (Αρθρον 160)
Cyprus, Turkish
1. Shall ilgili Ortak Ticaret Odası tarafından yapılan ortak bir kanunu, bu Anayasa hükümleri, kuruluş, kişisel durum ve Cemaat meclisleri yeterliliği için bu Anayasa hükümlerine göre ayrılmış olan dini konularla ilgili sivil anlaşmazlıklar ile başa çıkmak için mahkemelerin, kompozisyon ve yargı sağlar.
…
3. Bu paragrafta yer alan hiçbir şey, Cumhuriyet Mahkemesinin, kişisel statü veya dini konularla ilgili bir sorunun tesadüfen ortaya çıktığı bir davada başvurmasını engellememesi koşuluyla, ilgili Topluluk Yasası tarafından yapılan yasaları uygulayacaktır. (Madde 160)
Customary Law
Cyprus, English
Subject 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)
Cyprus, Greek
Tηρουμένων 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)
Cyprus, Turkish
160. 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
China, Chinese
…
各民族都有使用和发展自己的语言文字的自由，都有保持或者改革自己的风俗习惯的自由 (第四条)
China, English
…
The people of all nationalities have the freedom to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and to preserve or reform their own ways and customs. (Art. 4)
Customary Law
Malaysia, English
(1) Parliament may make laws with respect to any matter enumerated in the State List, but only as follows, that is to say:
(a) for the purpose of implementing any treaty, agreement or convention between the Federation and any other country, or any decision of an international organization of which the Federation is a member;
(b) for the purpose of promoting uniformity of the laws of two or more States; or
(c) if so requested by the Legislative Assembly of any State.
(2) No law shall be made in pursuance of paragraph (a) of Clause (1) with respect to any matters of Islamic law or the custom of the Malays or to any matters of native law or custom in the States of Sabah and Sarawak and no Bill for a law under that paragraph shall be introduced into either House of Parliament until the Government of any State concerned has been consulted.
… (Art. 76)
Malaysia, Malay
(1) Parlimen boleh membuat undang-undang mengenai apa-apa perkara yang disebut satu persatu dalam Senarai Negeri, tetapi hanya seperti yang berikut sahaja, iaitu:
(a) bagi maksud melaksanakan apa-apa triti, perjanjian atau konvensyen antara Persekutuan dengan mana-mana negara lain, atau apa-apa keputusan sesuatu organisasi antarabangsa yang dianggotai oleh Persekutuan; atau
(b) bagi maksud menggalakkan keseragaman undang-undang antara dua Negeri atau lebih; atau
(c) jika diminta sedemikian oleh Dewan Undangan mana-mana Negeri.
(2) Tiada undang-undang boleh dibuat menurut perenggan (a) Fasal (1) mengenai apa-apa perkara mengenai hukum Syarak atau adat orang Melayu atau mengenai apa-apa perkara tentang undang-undang atau adat anak negeri di Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak dan tiada Rang Undang-Undang bagi suatu undang-undang di bawah perenggan itu boleh dibawa di dalam mana-mana satu Majlis Parlimen sehingga Kerajaan mana-mana Negeri yang berkenaan telah dirundingi.
… (Perkara 76)
Customary Law
Malaysia, English
…
(3) The Attorney General shall have power, exercisable at his discretion, to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for an offence, other than proceedings before a Syariah court, a native court or a court-martial.
… (Art. 145)
Malaysia, Malay
…
(3) Peguam Negara hendaklah mempunyai kuasa yang boleh dijalankan menurut budi bicaranya, untuk memulakan, menjalankan atau memberhentikan apa-apa prosiding bagi sesuatu kesalahan, selain prosiding di hadapan mahkamah Syariah, mahkamah anak negeri atau mahkamah tentera.
… (Perkara 145)
Customary Law
Malaysia, English
...
13. Native law and custom, including the personal law relating to marriage, divorce, guardianship, maintenance, adoption, legitimacy, family law, gifts or succession, testate or intestate; registration of adoptions under native law or custom; the determination of matters of native law or custom; the constitution, organization, and procedure of native courts (including the right of audience in such courts), and the jurisdiction and powers of such courts, which shall extend only to the matters included in this paragraph and shall not include jurisdiction in respect of offences except in so far as conferred by federal law.
… (Ninth Schedule, List IIA—Supplement to State List for States of Sabah and Sarawak, [Article 95B(1)(a)])
Malaysia, Malay
...
13. Undang-undang dan adat anak negeri, termasuk undang-undang diri yang berhubungan dengan perkahwinan, perceraian, penjagaan, nafkah, pengangkatan, kesahtarafan, undang-undang keluarga, alang atau pewarisan, berwasiat atau tidak berwasiat; pendaftaran pengangkatan di bawah undang-undang atau adat anak negeri; penentuan perkara perkara mengenai undang-undang atau adat anak negeri; keanggotaan, susunan, dan tatacara mahkamah anak negeri (termasuk hak untuk didengar di dalam mahkamah itu), dan bidang kuasa dan kuasa mahkamah itu, yang hendaklah meliputi hanya perkara yang termasuk dalam perenggan ini sahaja dan tidaklah termasuk bidang kuasa berkenaan dengan kesalahan kecuali setakat yang diberikan oleh undang-undang persekutuan.
… (Jadual Kesembilan, Senarai IIA—Tambahan kepada Senarai Negeri bagi Negeri Sabah dan Sarawak, [Perkara 95B(1)(a)])