When States delegate legal authority to traditional, customary or religious systems they bestow on them a range of powers which are not always subject to rights standards and norms nor to state oversight. These systems, usually known as parallel or plural systems, can have jurisdiction over marriages, family law issues, dispute resolution and informal systems of community justice. These issues are often at the heart of women’s experiences of male violence.

The discussion was led by Zarizana Aziz is a law, gender and human rights specialist affiliated with the Due Diligence Project, and Satang Nabaneh is a Research Professor of Law and Director of Programs at the Human Rights Centre at the University of Dayton.