The Future of Customary Tenure Options for Policymakers

For years, policy makers have debated how to deal with customary tenure —sometimes known as ―informal,‖ ―indigenous,‖ or ―traditional law.‖ This concern arises because dual (or multiple) legal systems co-exist in many countries: statutory law alongside informal, customary practices, religious law, etc. Educated urban elites tend to use the statutory system while rural citizens, the less educated, and the poor typically rely on the customary system. The presence of multiple systems can contribute to insecurity and conflict; finding ways to effectively integrate the two is an important policy challenge in many countries.