Legal Pluralism, Customary Law and Human Rights in Francophone African Countries

Frémont, Jacques

doi:10.26686/vuwlr.v40i1.5383

Cited by 9 publications

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“…70 As Frémont observes, several liberties such as liberty to religion, liberty of association, freedom of expression, the right to participate in affairs of state and freedom of movement are recognized by traditional institutions. 71 Traditional institutions are also known for a decentralized participatory decision making system which empowers local communities to make local decisions in matters of self-governance. 72 African traditional institutions have village councils which give communities the chance to resort to the exercise of direct democracy.…”

Section: The Role Of Traditional Institutions In the Democratization Process: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Note: The Ebb and Flow of the Democratization Process in Africa

Byness¹

2021

Miz Law Rev

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Democracy and democratization are two faces of a coin, and democracy is unattainable in the absence of the democratization process. This note deals with some salient points regarding the processes, challenges and obstacles of democratization in Africa since the early 1960s. The roles of traditional institutions for democratization in Africa have also been highlighted. I argue that the democratization process in Africa is characterized by ebb and flow. There are various challenges and obstacles to democratization in spite of strong aspirations. Yet, Africa should strive hard to overcome these challenges and obstacles since it has no choice other than democratization.

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Section: The Role Of Traditional Institutions In the Democratization Process: An Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Note: The Ebb and Flow of the Democratization Process in Africa

Byness¹

2021

Miz Law Rev

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“…The first is historical and questions the legitimacy and efficacy of state law and its institutions in rendering rule of law, as the state was considered an outside colonial imposition (ibid, 233). Despite their limitation in safeguarding human rights, in general, and the rights of vulnerable groups, such as the rights of women and minorities, in particular, customary laws are considered more legitimate and efficient than state laws in regulating the actions and behaviours of its adherents (Frémont 2009;Pimentel 2011). Following from this and further corroborated by the theoretical cum ideological grounds within which legal pluralism has been advanced generally has led to the assumption that legal pluralism in Africa is the parallel application of customary and/ or religious legal systems with state legal systems (Gebeye 2017, 233).…”

Section: "Twofold" Legal Pluralism In Sub-saharan Africamentioning

confidence: 99%

The Janus face of legal pluralism for the rule of law promotion in sub-Saharan Africa

Gebeye

2019

Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des étud

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Beyond being a descriptive framework of the legal universe in sub-Saharan Africa, legal pluralism has become a policy field in the rule of law promotion. The aim of this article is to problematize and clarify how legal pluralism has been deployed for rule of law, and on what grounds sustainable rule of law through legal pluralism hold. Due to the syncretic nature of the state in sub-Saharan Africa, it is contended that legal pluralism is configured with a Janus face. While one face of legal pluralism connects the state to the society and is positioned to maintain internal peace and order, the other face connects the state to the international community and consequently shields it from external threat. This article argues that a sustainable rule of law promotion rests on the dialectic of the constitutional systems and the Janus faced configuration of legal pluralism in sub-Saharan Africa. RÉSUMÉAu-delà de sa fonction de cadre descriptif de l'univers juridique en Afrique subsaharienne, le pluralisme juridique est devenu un champ politique de la promotion de l'état de droit. L'objectif de cet article est la problématisation et la clarification de la manière dont le pluralisme juridique a été déployé pour l'état de droit, et des bases sur lesquelles, à travers le pluralisme juridique, un état de droit durable peut s'appuyer. En raison du caractère syncrétique de l'État en Afrique subsaharienne, nous soutenons que le pluralisme juridique est configuré comme une figure de Janus à deux faces. Alors qu'une face du pluralisme juridique connecte l'état de la société et est positionnée pour le maintien de la paix et de l'ordre intérieurs, l'autre face connecte l'État à la communauté internationale et, en conséquence, la protège des menaces extérieures. Cet article soutient que la promotion d'un état de droit durable repose sur la dialectique des systèmes constitutionnels et sur la configuration en double face de Janus du pluralisme juridique en Afrique subsaharienne.

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Indigenous Peoples’ Customary Laws, Sámi People and Sacred Sites

Heinämäki

Xanthaki

2017

Springer Polar Sciences

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Legal Pluralism, Customary Law and Human Rights in Francophone African Countries

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Note: The Ebb and Flow of the Democratization Process in Africa

Note: The Ebb and Flow of the Democratization Process in Africa

The Janus face of legal pluralism for the rule of law promotion in sub-Saharan Africa

Indigenous Peoples’ Customary Laws, Sámi People and Sacred Sites

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