Oral Customary Law of the Issa community inscribed by UNESCO as World Intangible Heritage

Addis Ababa, December 5, 2024 (FMC) – The oral customary law of the Issa community, known as Xeer Ciise, has been officially inscribed as a world intangible heritage by UNESCO.

Xeer Ciise encompasses the traditional legal framework of the Somali-Issa communities found in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia.

UNESCO describes this system as a well-organized form of democratic governance comprising three essential elements: (a) a political constitution that outlines the distribution of power and the process of decision-making; (b) a penal code that upholds community justice; and (c) a code of social conduct that guides both collective and individual behavior.

These customary laws play a crucial role in fostering peaceful coexistence among community members and with other ethnic groups, according to UNESCO.