Legal Reform in Customary Marriage Law in Indonesia and South Africa for Inclusive Justice

Yenny Febrianty; Nadya Restu Ryendra; Asmida Ahmad; Ariyanto Ariyanto

doi:10.15294/jllr.v6i3.20896

Authors

Yenny Febrianty Faculty of Law, Universitas Pakuan, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7635-2133
Nadya Restu Ryendra Master of Health Law, Universitas Katolik Soegijapranata, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6945-0053
Asmida Ahmad Faculty of Law, Multimedia University Malaysia, Malaysia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5541-7167
Ariyanto Ariyanto Master of Law, Universitas Yapis Papua, Indonesia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2532-3020

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15294/jllr.v6i3.20896

Keywords:

Customary Marriage Legislation, Positive Jurisprudence, Legal Cohesion, Inclusive Justice, Cultural Conservation

Abstract

Customary law shapes South African and Indonesian culture and society. However, adopting customary marital law into national legal systems is difficult. These include value conflicts between regional traditions and positive law’s universal principles, such as recording marriages, protecting children, and ensuring gender equality. Within Indonesia’s legal system, customary law practices are not well accommodated. Customary law is acknowledged under South Africa’s constitution, however its application is fraught with difficulties. This study aims to (1) comprehend positive law and its correlation with customary marriage law, (2) analyze the difficulties of integrating customary marriage law with positive law in South Africa and Indonesia, and (3) evaluate the future prospects of this domain. The study’s findings and suggestions might foster a more equitable society and promote legislation that honors universal ideals and traditional customs. This comparative and qualitative study use normative legal techniques to analyze pertinent literature, legal concepts, and norms. This paper highlights the main barriers to merging positive and customary marriage legislation. Examples are administrative obstacles like marriage registration and customary norms that conflict with human rights. The proposed framework respects traditional values to uphold human rights and social fairness. Keywords include normative marriage law, positive law, social justice, gender equality, and legal integration.

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