Publication:
Women's Movements, Plural Legal Systems and the Botswana Constitution : How Reform Happens

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dc.contributor.authorTanzer, Ziona
dc.contributor.authorHasan, Tazeen
dc.date.accessioned2014-02-05T15:26:32Z
dc.date.available2014-02-05T15:26:32Z
dc.date.issued2013-11
dc.description.abstractCollective action by women's networks has been a strong driver of legislative change in many countries across the world. Women's groups in Botswana have used advocacy tools such as testing the implementation of gender equality principles in the national court system. In 1992, women's legal networks in the Unity Dow case successfully challenged discriminatory statutory citizenship laws. This victory triggered far-reaching reforms of the citizenship law, family law, and even the Constitution itself. Two decades later, another successful "test" case, the Mmusi case, has challenged the customary law practice of favoring male heirs as contrary to constitutional principles of equality. The paper explores the role that judges and national courts play in implementing gender equality principles and upholding state commitments to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The paper also highlights the role of governments in taking on the concerns of their citizens and cementing the principle of equality in national legal frameworks. The backdrop to this process is a plural legal system where both customary and statutory laws and courts exist side by side. How women negotiate their rights through these multiple systems by coalition building and using "good practice" examples from other countries is important to understand from a policy perspective and how this "bottom-up" approach can contribute to women's economic empowerment in other national contexts.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/11/18481696/womens-movements-plural-legal-systems-botswana-constitution-reform-happens
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6690
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/16924
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 6690
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectADOPTION
dc.subjectADVOCACY
dc.subjectAFRICAN STUDIES
dc.subjectAGE OF MARRIAGE
dc.subjectAMENDMENTS
dc.subjectAPPEALS
dc.subjectBASIS OF SEX
dc.subjectBENEFIT
dc.subjectCAPACITY BUILDING
dc.subjectCASE LAW
dc.subjectCHILD
dc.subjectCHILDREN
dc.subjectCITIZEN
dc.subjectCITIZENS
dc.subjectCITIZENSHIP
dc.subjectCITIZENSHIP LAW
dc.subjectCIVIL LAW
dc.subjectCIVIL MARRIAGE
dc.subjectCIVIL MARRIAGES
dc.subjectCODES
dc.subjectCONSENT
dc.subjectCONSTITUTIONAL COURT
dc.subjectCONSTITUTIONS
dc.subjectCONTRACTS
dc.subjectCORRUPTION
dc.subjectCOURT
dc.subjectCOURT PROCEDURES
dc.subjectCOURTS
dc.subjectCRIMINAL
dc.subjectCRIMINAL LAW
dc.subjectCUSTOM
dc.subjectCUSTOMARY LAW
dc.subjectCUSTOMARY LAWS
dc.subjectCUSTOMARY MARRIAGE
dc.subjectCUSTOMARY MARRIAGES
dc.subjectCUSTOMARY PRACTICES
dc.subjectDEMOCRACY
dc.subjectDEVELOPMENT POLICY
dc.subjectDEVOLUTION OF PROPERTY
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATION
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATORY CUSTOMARY LAW
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATORY CUSTOMARY LAWS
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATORY LAWS
dc.subjectDISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT
dc.subjectDISMISSAL
dc.subjectDIVORCE
dc.subjectDOMESTIC LAW
dc.subjectDOMESTIC VIOLENCE
dc.subjectDOMESTIC VIOLENCE ACT
dc.subjectDOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
dc.subjectDOMICILE
dc.subjectECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
dc.subjectECONOMIC GROWTH
dc.subjectECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
dc.subjectECONOMIC RIGHTS
dc.subjectECONOMIC STATUS
dc.subjectEDUCATED WOMEN
dc.subjectELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION
dc.subjectEMPOWERING WOMEN
dc.subjectEMPOWERMENT
dc.subjectEQUAL RIGHTS
dc.subjectEQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN
dc.subjectEQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW
dc.subjectEVIDENCE
dc.subjectFAMILY
dc.subjectFAMILY HOME
dc.subjectFAMILY LAW
dc.subjectFAMILY MEMBERS
dc.subjectFAMILY PROPERTY
dc.subjectFEMALE
dc.subjectFEMALE LABOR
dc.subjectFEMALE LABOR FORCE
dc.subjectFEMALE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION
dc.subjectFEMALE STUDENT
dc.subjectFEMINISM
dc.subjectFUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS
dc.subjectGENDER
dc.subjectGENDER DISCRIMINATION
dc.subjectGENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectGENDER GAP
dc.subjectGENDER GAPS
dc.subjectGENDER PERSPECTIVE
dc.subjectGENDER SENSITIVE
dc.subjectGENDER SENSITIVE LAWS
dc.subjectGENDER SENSITIVITY
dc.subjectGENDER SENSITIVITY TRAINING
dc.subjectGIRLS
dc.subjectGLOBAL COMMISSION
dc.subjectGOOD GOVERNANCE
dc.subjectGOVERNMENTS
dc.subjectGUARDIANSHIP
dc.subjectHEALTH CONSEQUENCES
dc.subjectHIV
dc.subjectHOMES
dc.subjectHOUSE
dc.subjectHUMAN DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectHUMAN RIGHTS
dc.subjectHUSBAND
dc.subjectHUSBANDS
dc.subjectIMPLEMENTATION OF GENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectIMPRISONMENT
dc.subjectINEQUALITY
dc.subjectINFRASTRUCTURE
dc.subjectINHERITANCE
dc.subjectINHERITANCE RIGHTS
dc.subjectINSTITUTIONS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL LAW
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL NORMS
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL TREATIES
dc.subjectINVESTMENT
dc.subjectJUDGE
dc.subjectJUDGES
dc.subjectJURISDICTION
dc.subjectJURISPRUDENCE
dc.subjectJUSTICE
dc.subjectKNOWLEDGE
dc.subjectLAW
dc.subjectLAW PRACTICE
dc.subjectLAW REFORM
dc.subjectLAWS
dc.subjectLAWYERS
dc.subjectLEGAL
dc.subjectLEGAL CAPACITY
dc.subjectLEGAL PERSONNEL
dc.subjectLEGAL REFORM
dc.subjectLEGAL REPRESENTATION
dc.subjectLEGAL RIGHTS
dc.subjectLEGAL SYSTEMS
dc.subjectLEGAL TRAINING
dc.subjectLEGISLATION
dc.subjectLEGISLATIVE REFORM
dc.subjectLEGITIMACY
dc.subjectLITIGATION
dc.subjectMALE HEIRS
dc.subjectMARITAL PROPERTY
dc.subjectMARRIAGE
dc.subjectMARRIAGE ACT
dc.subjectMARRIAGE LAWS
dc.subjectMARRIED WOMEN
dc.subjectMINORS
dc.subjectMODERNIZATION
dc.subjectNATIONAL PROGRESS
dc.subjectNATIONALS
dc.subjectNONDISCRIMINATION
dc.subjectOFFENCE
dc.subjectOFFENCES
dc.subjectPARENTS
dc.subjectPERSONAL PROPERTY
dc.subjectPOLICY
dc.subjectPOLICY DISCUSSIONS
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH
dc.subjectPOLICY RESEARCH WORKING PAPER
dc.subjectPOPULATION
dc.subjectPREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
dc.subjectPRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY
dc.subjectPRINCIPLE OF GENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectPRINCIPLES OF GENDER EQUALITY
dc.subjectPROGRESS
dc.subjectPROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION
dc.subjectPROPERTY
dc.subjectPROPERTY LAW
dc.subjectPROPERTY RIGHTS
dc.subjectPUBLIC OPINION
dc.subjectPUBLIC SPHERE
dc.subjectRAPE
dc.subjectRESPECT
dc.subjectREVIEW
dc.subjectRIGHTS FOR WOMEN
dc.subjectRIGHTS OF WOMEN
dc.subjectRURAL AREAS
dc.subjectRURAL WOMEN
dc.subjectSEX
dc.subjectSOCIAL BURDENS
dc.subjectSOCIAL CHANGE
dc.subjectSPOUSES
dc.subjectTREASON
dc.subjectUNDP
dc.subjectUNITED NATIONS
dc.subjectUNMARRIED WOMEN
dc.subjectURBAN WOMEN
dc.subjectURBANIZATION
dc.subjectVICTIMS
dc.subjectVIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
dc.subjectWEDDINGS
dc.subjectWHO
dc.subjectWIDOW
dc.subjectWIDOWS
dc.subjectWIFE
dc.subjectWILL
dc.subjectWIVES
dc.subjectWOMAN
dc.subjectWOMEN
dc.subjectCEDAW
dc.titleWomen's Movements, Plural Legal Systems and the Botswana Constitution : How Reform Happensen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crosscuttingsolutionareaGender
okr.crossref.titleWomen's Movements, Plural Legal Systems and the Botswana Constitution: How Reform Happens
okr.date.disclosure2013-11-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T11:42:59.754880Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/11/18481696/womens-movements-plural-legal-systems-botswana-constitution-reform-happens
okr.globalpracticeSocial, Urban, Rural and Resilience
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.globalpracticeHealth, Nutrition, and Population
okr.guid189241468200945087
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6690
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20131106083821
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum18481696
okr.identifier.reportWPS6690
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2013/11/06/000158349_20131106083821/Rendered/PDF/WPS6690.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.countryBotswana
okr.topicLaw and Development::Legal Products
okr.topicGender::Gender and Development
okr.topicSocial Development::Children and Youth
okr.topicGender::Gender and Law
okr.topicHealth, Nutrition and Population::Population Policies
okr.unitGender and Development Unit, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication77867ae9-7288-586f-a3d0-fd7ca7aee684
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery77867ae9-7288-586f-a3d0-fd7ca7aee684
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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