Women rights in TUNISIA : THE ARAB EXCEPTION

[Tounsi]

Tunisia continues to set the bar for Arab women's rights in the 21st century, legalizing abortion and actively combatting domestic violence. As Andrea Barron explains, for anyone who wants to see a renaissance in the Arab world, the remarkable progress of Tunisian women is a success story they cannot afford to ignore.


Tunisia is the only Arab and majority-Muslim country where abortion is legal during the first trimester and where women can obtain government-subsidized abortions without their husband’s permission.

Women do not have to use abortion as a method of birth control like they do in some developing countries. An ambitious family-planning program has successfully reduced population growth through education and making contraceptives readily available.


Women's movement

In 1993, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who succeeded Bourguiba as president, amended the Code of Personal Status to give women more rights. This time an active women’s movement could take much of the credit for the changes.
Tunisia has established a special fund to support divorced mothers.
A wife was no longer required to obey her husband, a special fund was established to support divorced mothers and Tunisian women could now transfer their nationality on to their children.

And Article 207 in the penal code reducing the penalty for honor crimes was abolished.

A man who murders his wife after catching her in an act of adultery used to be guilty of just a misdemeanor. Now, however, he faces life imprisonment for manslaughter. Compare this to the situation in Pakistan, where a brother who kills his sister can escape any punishment at all by “confessing” to his father, who then promptly “forgives” him.

Article 207

Souad Khalfallah, President of the Alliance of Women Lawyers, recalls the opposition from Islamic fundamentalists when Article 207 was eliminated.

“I was a student at the University of Tunis at the time. I can remember the fundamentalists distributing flyers around the campus saying, “Apply the Quranic Law! The CPS (Code of Personal Status) is anti-Quranic.” But the government refused to back down.

Combatting domestic violence

Tunisia continues to raise the bar for Arab women’s rights in the 21st century. This year, encouraged by the National Union of Tunisian Women, the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and other women’s groups,
The government has launched a full-scale campaign to combat domestic violence.
The government has launched a full-scale campaign to combat domestic violence.

Nabila Hamza from the National Board for Family and Population, which directs family planning and reproductive health programs, is the project’s national coordinator.

The project is conducting the first national survey on the frequency of domestic violence and is working with imams, religious counselors, policemen, judges, doctors, midwives and social workers to raise awareness of family violence and advocate for measures to reduce it.

Rejecting violence toward women

Since January 2007, they have organized workshops in four governorates, or states (Gabes, Kairouan, Monastir and Jendouba), meeting with male and female imams and religious scholars. “Last March in Jendouba, we met with over 60 imams and scholars,” says Hamza.

“People talked about how the wives of the prophet Muhammad, especially his young wife Aisha, were military and religious leaders, and how he turned to them for advice


Setting The Pace

The imams agreed that the correct interpretation of Islam completely rejects all violence toward women. They differed only on whether this violence is an isolated phenomenon or a more pervasive social problem, with some saying they had not seen any evidence of this problem themselves. Some imams have madea commitment to begin speaking against domestic violence in the khutba, or sermon, they deliver in the mosques every Friday.

Can a small country like Tunisia — population ten million — set the pace for the future of women in the Arab world?
According to the 2005 Arab Human Development Report, published by the United Nations Development Program, women’s advancement is “a prerequisite for an Arab renaissance, inseparably and casually linked to the fate of the Arab world and its achievement of human development.”

For anyone who wants to see this kind of renaissance in the Arab world, the remarkable progress of Tunisian women is a success story they cannot afford to ignore

[LeB.Fr]

"THE ARAB EXCEPTION", I think we can argue on that ;)

[ZOHAR]

well done,Tunis
The only officially secular arab country,right?

[Tounsi]

"THE ARAB EXCEPTION", I think we can argue on that ;)

As far as I know there are no other muslim countries with sch a legislation to protect the womens and their legitimate rights .

What about Lebanon women's rights ?

[Tounsi]

well done,Tunis
The only officially secular arab country,right?

No that s the beauty of the Tunisian exception . The state,s religion is Islam but the legislation is based on a modern interpretation of Islam.

ther is in our point of vew no contardiction between modernism tolerance and our religion :)

[Hassoun]

As far as I know there are no other muslim countries with sch a legislation to protect the womens and their legitimate rights

U R RIGHT.

[ZOHAR]

^^if its like that so what about Lebanon?

[Hassoun]

No that s the beauty of the Tunisian exception . The state,s religion is Islam but the legislation is based on a modern interpretation of Islam.

ther is in our point of vew no contardiction between modernism tolerance and our religion :)

I agree :applause:

[Hassoun]

^^if its like that so what about Lebanon?

In Lebanon,a woman can't pass its nationality on to her Kids for Example.

Honour Crimes don't happen that often in Lebanon,,,and if it happened it is considered a murder.so it's like killing anyone else.U go to Jail.

Politically,Women are in almost every position,we had even Female Candidates for Presidency so we have no problem with this.

[Tounsi]

^^if its like that so what about Lebanon?

I think History plays a major role

you see tunisia during it s whole history was and still is a tolerant land .We had so many invasions and colonisation during the last 3 000 years..

Did you for instance that the oldest synagogue out of Israel/Palestine is in the isand of Djerba. there is still a vibrant tunisians jewsh community and there is a pilgrim each year According to the most accepted theory they came after the destruction of the First temple of salomon by Nab in 530 AD and according to the legend they brought stones from the frst temple ..

Tunisia is really the carrefour of the mEditeranean sea like Sicily for example and that plays a major role .

Evne thoughwe are at 99 % muslim and sunni we are tolerant, open minded and we cherissh our history and our different communities ( blacks, Christians, Jews etc..) because we consider that more ther is diversity within Unity stronger our indentity will be in accordance with our traditions and wa of life .

Again there is no contradiction between our muslim values and modernity or tolerance it s actually one of our muslim values : TOLERANCE

[Tounsi]

In Lebanon,a woman can't pass its nationality on to her Kids for Example.

Honour Crimes don't happen that often in Lebanon,,,and if it happened it is considered a murder.so it's like killing anyone else.U go to Jail.

Politically,Women are in almost every position,we had even Female Candidates for Presidency so we have no problem with this.

Well that changed in Tunisia recently! and what about polygamy and divorce ?

[ZOHAR]

:applause:

[Tounsi]

I truly believe that a Society that does not recognize the workforce of the half of it s population cannot reach it s full development potential ^^

[Hassoun]

Well that changed in Tunisia recently! and what about polygamy and divorce ?

in Lebanon it is way Complicated,different religions,different factions,if u r asking about Muslims,a muslim can marry more than one woman,up to four.but the woman can get divorced if she doesn't wanna live with this situation.

[Aliya]

Well Done, Tunisia!!!! Great to read this :)

"THE ARAB EXCEPTION", I think we can argue on that ;)

I thought Lebanese arent 'Arabs' :tongue:

[Hassoun]

^^ lol :D
coming from a girl with Arab name :P

Lebanese are A lot of things , one of them is Arabs ;)

[smussuw]

and yet Tunisia is also the only Arab exception where women could be arrested for just wearing the veil in public :fiddle:

Anyway, you cannot say that banning polygamy is compatible with any interpretation of Islam.

[ZOHAR]

and yet Tunisia is also the only Arab exception where women could be arrested for just wearing the veil in public :fiddle:



good law!
Separate religion froma state!

[þopsï]

Great for Tunisia.

[Aliya]

^^ lol :D
coming from a girl with Arab name :P

Lebanese are A lot of things , one of them is Arabs ;)

hehe... it's a Hebrew name also. :nuts::lol:
type it in google and the results are only about Israel or the singer (not that Google decides whats right and wrong :lol: )

Ohmygosh... once i said Arab when I was referring to Lebanese people (sorry, im not so good on hisory of people) and i almost got my head bitten off... 'we are phonecians, we are not arabs' lol

[ZOHAR]

^^:rofl:

[smussuw]

^^ You would only hear about this phonecian thing in this forum or abroad.

[Aliya]

^^ nah i hear it quite a lot out of the Internet. Why are people so touchy on this subject !

[skydive]

Well Done, Tunisia!!!! Great to read this :)



I thought Lebanese arent 'Arabs' :tongue:

:applause::rofl:

total misconception, Lebanese are Arabs, my wife is from Lebanon.

its the Iranians who are not Arabs but many people think they are. :nuts:

[Aliya]

^^ well... they're are many people that make Lebanese.... Phonecians, Turks, Arabs, Armenians etc
:nuts: and did i ask about Iranians? :S

and good for your wife... she is arab woot woot .. that make every lebanese arab too (!) :cheers:

anyhow.. this hasnt much to do with Tunisia... lets get back on topic.

[þopsï]

who is the most famous/powerful woman in Tunisia?

[Hassoun]

^^ I am sure it'd be the 1st lady.

[Tounsi]

and yet Tunisia is also the only Arab exception where women could be arrested for just wearing the veil in public :fiddle:

Anyway, you cannot say that banning polygamy is compatible with any interpretation of Islam.


:wink2: The Hijab is bannished in tunisia because it does not represent our muslim traditions . see Tunisian womens wear the safsari or a veil to cover their heads

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh132/antar07/16-1.jpg

and now we see this :

http://www.yenoo.be/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10004/hijab~0.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05nNd4nghKfEc/610x.jpg

The hijab is a middle eastern costume and it is a symbol of an extermist islam .

As far as the Polygamy goes it says in the Quran that polygamy is possible as long as you can affaord it and you can offer theequal attention to your four wives . One Tunisian women is more than enough for us ^^^^



you have your ways we have ours ...

[Tounsi]

^^ I am sure it'd be the 1st lady.

looooooooool yes mme Leila Ben Ali but there a lot of powerfull womens in tunisia business womens , movement leader , senators ,etc..

[Rekarte]

Quelles sont les bonnes pour la Tunisie!
J'espère que d'autres pays suivent l'exemple de la Tunisie

[wahch77]

:wink2: The Hijab is bannished in tunisia because it does not represent our muslim traditions . see Tunisian womens wear the safsari or a veil to cover their heads

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh132/antar07/16-1.jpg

and now we see this :

http://www.yenoo.be/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10004/hijab~0.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05nNd4nghKfEc/610x.jpg

The hijab is a middle eastern costume and it is a symbol of an extermist islam .
hijab is from islam and it is imposed by allah in THE HOLY QURAN.i don't get it,some people dare to talk on behalf of all tunisians!!!please respect people's choices and opinions since ya talking about RIGHTS
As far as the Polygamy goes it says in the Quran that polygamy is possible as long as you can affaord it and you can offer theequal attention to your four wives . One Tunisian women is more than enough for us ^^^^



you have your ways we have ours ...

i don't get it how one can talk on behalf of all tunisians.THE HIJAB is imposed in THE HOLY QURAN .please respect people's choices in life,women are free to put HIJAB on ,it is her right,since ya talking about women rights.it;s funny how isrealis are going to show us how we dress up ,stay out of it

[ezin]

i think that tunisian women have the right to wear what they want to , they have the freedom to wear hijab even nikab and they have the right to wear mini skirt even if they want to swim naked !!! it's their right and every one should be responsable and free of what he thinks and wears !!

[Tounsi]

i don't get it how one can talk on behalf of all tunisians.THE HIJAB is imposed in THE HOLY QURAN .please respect people's choices in life,women are free to put HIJAB on ,it is her right,since ya talking about women rights.it;s funny how isrealis are going to show us how we dress up ,stay out of it

First
Really ??? ITS IN THE HOLY QURAN THAT WOMEN MUST WEAR THE HIJAB

Here is the verses in english

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)

There are no mentions at all of the word HIJAB in the Quran and that was my point the Hijab is not in our TRADITIONS IN TUNISIA nor in the Holy Quran our women were the safsari wich look like this :

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oH0iadD5zBE/SGNKvcG_ryI/AAAAAAAAAuc/xIU3eJZyEwo/s320/Sefsari.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EqANWB9zO54/STVQJf7lKsI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/Z8icV8P3Bfs/s320/IMG_2794.JPG

Second THE HIJAB is banished in Tunisia because it is considered as a sectarian dress women who choose to wear a veil should wear the safsari or a cloack like in OUR TRADITIONS . We are not a middle east country we are in the Maghreb and as such we do have our traditions and don<t you dare tell us how to practice our religion !!!!

Third :

Cut the crap will you ?? people short minded like you always come up with that stupid argument about the veil and the women rights it s actually the fundamental right for a women to choose whether or not they want to wear a veil but it is our duty as a nation to keep foreign fundamentalist influence away from our peaceful country ...Look what happened in Algeria when the fundamentalist spread with their medieval ideas more than 100 000 civilian died !!!!

And let me tell that we and by we I mean 99% won<t let that happen in our COUNTRY !!!

Fourth :

You are brainwashed and ignorant because you always use the shortcuts the preconceived ideas that you watched in IQra and all the other crap channels who thinks that we are infidels and believe they need to teach US how to practice Islam .

I m not even gonna comment about the Isreali part it s just pathetic and shows how ignorant you are ...

Finally correct me if i m wrong but you are not Tunisian so YOU should stay out of our WAY ...^^

[Shield]

F
irst
Really ??? ITS IN THE HOLY QURAN THAT WOMEN MUST WEAR THE HIJAB
Here is the verses in english

“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognised and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)

There are no mentions at all of the word HIJAB in the Quran and that was my point the Hijab is not in our TRADITIONS IN TUNISIA nor in the Holy Quran our women were the safsari wich look like this :

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oH0iadD5zBE/SGNKvcG_ryI/AAAAAAAAAuc/xIU3eJZyEwo/s320/Sefsari.JPG
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EqANWB9zO54/STVQJf7lKsI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/Z8icV8P3Bfs/s320/IMG_2794.JPG

Second THE HIJAB is banished in Tunisia because it is considered as a sectarian dress women who choose to wear a veil should wear the safsari or a cloack like in OUR TRADITIONS . We are not a middle east country we are in the Maghreb and as such we do have our traditions and don<t you dare tell us how to practice our religion !!!!

Third :

Cut the crap will you ?? people short minded like you always come up with that stupid argument about the veil and the women rights it s actually the fundamental right for a women to choose whether or not they want to wear a veil but it is our duty as a nation to keep foreign fundamentalist influence away from our peaceful country ...Look what happened in Algeria when the fundamentalist spread with their medieval ideas more than 100 000 civilian died !!!!

And let me tell that we and by we I mean 99% won<t let that happen in our COUNTRY !!!

Fourth :

You are brainwashed and ignorant because you always use the shortcuts the preconceived ideas that you watched in IQra and all the other crap channels who thinks that we are infidels and believe they need to teach US how to practice Islam .

I m not even gonna comment about the Isreali part it s just pathetic and shows how ignorant you are ...

Finally correct me if i m wrong but you are not Tunisian so YOU should stay out of our WAY ...^^

This sefsari is not practical,do you picture a student going to school with this ?
Holding it with one hand and writing with the other ?
And if you say it's a foreign outfit,are the western outfits tunisian ?
Why not ban them also ? ( Jean,minin-skirt,tee-shirt ...)


Tounsi you live in Tunisia ?
Because i was there and i saw many women wearing hijab,it's not banished.

Do you think that mowen shouldn't be allowed to wear Hijab in Tunisia ?

[Tounsi]

This sefsari is not practical,do you picture a student going to school with this ?
Holding it with one hand and writing with the other ?
And if you say it's a foreign outfit,are the western outfits tunisian ?
Why not ban them also ? ( Jean,minin-skirt,tee-shirt ...)


Tounsi you live in Tunisia ?
Because i was there and i saw many women wearing hijab,it's not banished.

Do you think that mowen shouldn't be allowed to wear Hijab in Tunisia ?


The hijab is banished in the public places and institutions such as schools universities government places etc..

Well in tunisia you are not allowed to wear the hijab in schools only scarfs

Shield : Tunisian women adopted the safsari for over 2 000 years trust me if it s survived it s because it s practical specially with our weather ^^

Second point i am not against women who wants to wear a scarf if that s what they want of course however i am against the symbol of wearing teh Hijab or worst the Niqab because it is a political statement and that is a threat .

I am for the right for women to choose their destiny regardless of their believes , orientations etc... I think that we did a very good job in Tunisia so far .^^

[wahch77]

The hijab is banished in the public places and institutions such as schools universities government places etc..

Well in tunisia you are not allowed to wear the hijab in schools only scarfs

Shield : Tunisian women adopted the safsari for over 2 000 years trust me if it s survived it s because it s practical specially with our weather ^^

Second point i am not against women who wants to wear a scarf if that s what they want of course however i am against the symbol of wearing teh Hijab or worst the Niqab because it is a political statement and that is a threat .

I am for the right for women to choose their destiny regardless of their believes , orientations etc... I think that we did a very good job in Tunisia so far .^^

being a moderator does not mean in anyway you disrespect people.I can talk nastier than you if i want to but i'm not gonna do that.what i mentioned was my point of view that you can contradict with in a respectful way.and for your prejudice i watch IQRAA or that i'm not tunisian let me tell this:you said i'm brainwashed and ignorant and you were about to call me terrorist,in fact what i noticed from your post is that you are the 1 who is doing the brainwashing thing.i love my country may be more than you and i call for the moderate islam but what i see in tounis is to be sad for .

[wahch77]

being a moderator does not mean in anyway you disrespect people.I can talk nastier than you if i want to but i'm not gonna do that.what i mentioned was my point of view that you can contradict with in a respectful way.and for your prejudice i watch IQRAA or that i'm not tunisian let me tell this:you said i'm brainwashed and ignorant and you were about to call me terrorist,in fact what i noticed from your post is that you are the 1 who is doing the brainwashing thing.i love my country may be more than you and i call for the moderate islam but what i see in tounis is to be sad for .

ps:i'm se7li,bir chobbek,sousa in case you needed that info!!

[Tounsi]

being a moderator does not mean in anyway you disrespect people.I can talk nastier than you if i want to but i'm not gonna do that.what i mentioned was my point of view that you can contradict with in a respectful way.and for your prejudice i watch IQRAA or that i'm not tunisian let me tell this:you said i'm brainwashed and ignorant and you were about to call me terrorist,in fact what i noticed from your post is that you are the 1 who is doing the brainwashing thing.i love my country may be more than you and i call for the moderate islam but what i see in tounis is to be sad for .

Well I was not disrespectful at all wach I was only pointing out some contradiction in your argumentation that illustrate indeed your ignorance ..you may state your point of view by all means but you should stand behind your opinion and your statement .. you showed ignorance indeed when you dared to say that the Hijab is imposed in the Holy Quran .. an aberration!!!


Terrorist oh come on wach please let s raise the tone of this debate shall we ....enough with the shortcuts and the victimization !!^^

You call for a moderate islam and that is exactly what Tunisia did 50 years ago in fact we were and still are moderate and tolerant. We believe in a modern society were women and men are equal according to the Human law on Earth who are you to judge us ???

When you see darkness and ignorance we see hope and progress

You are presumptuous and that 's wrong , the truth and our fate is on the hand of Allah the Almighty not yours or any others muslim nation that pretends to know the Truth ....

What I fear most for my people are the hypocrites, who talk wisely, yet act unjustly. The prophet Mohammed s.a.w.s.as reported by Abu Hurairah.

[Tounsi]

ps:i'm se7li,bir chobbek,sousa in case you needed that info!!

bell8i se7li wild bir Chobbek ou 8akka ta7ki a3lla blédek ou dinnék ?... rabbi faréj^^

[Shield]

The hijab is banished in the public places and institutions such as schools universities government places etc..

Well in tunisia you are not allowed to wear the hijab in schools only scarfs

Shield : Tunisian women adopted the safsari for over 2 000 years trust me if it s survived it s because it s practical specially with our weather ^^

Second point i am not against women who wants to wear a scarf if that s what they want of course however i am against the symbol of wearing teh Hijab or worst the Niqab because it is a political statement and that is a threat .

I am for the right for women to choose their destiny regardless of their believes , orientations etc... I think that we did a very good job in Tunisia so far .^^


I am sorry i don't know the differecne between scarf and hijab ( i do know the niqab but i didn't see any in Tunisia ),the point is i saw many women wearing a veil and no one seemed to be bothered or to bothered anyone.

About the Sefsari,with all due respect for your culture and your heritage,this thing can't be suited for modern woman life.
They cant' even drive with it,they can't write,they can't study it was good when women used to stay at home or do basic things now it's impossible to wear with a modern life.
Do you understand me ?
So it's normal to see some young women wearing the veil to live normally and practice their religion properly they are not fundamentalists.

[Tounsi]

I am sorry i don't know the differecne between scarf and hijab ( i do know the niqab but i didn't see any in Tunisia ),the point is i saw many women wearing a veil and no one seemed to be bothered or to bothered anyone.

About the Sefsari,with all due respect for your culture and your heritage,this thing can't be suited for modern woman life.
They cant' even drive with it,they can't write,they can't study it was good when women used to stay at home or do basic things now it's impossible to wear with a modern life.
Do you understand me ?
So it's normal to see some young women wearing the veil to live normally and practice their religion properly they are not fundamentalists.

the Hijab is a whole outfit, scarf covers head and/or neck only. Furthermore the Hijab as I mentionned is a sectarian outfit and a political statement . in the late 80 's and the beginning of the 90's we went through a political instability that could ended in a civil war just like in Algeria .

Again Shield read my post i never said that I was against wearing the veil I am against the Hijab and its political statement ...

[Shield]

the Hijab is a whole outfit, scarf covers head and/or neck only. Furthermore the Hijab as I mentionned is a sectarian outfit and a political statement . in the late 80 's and the beginning of the 90's we went through a political instability that could ended in a civil war just like in Algeria .

Again Shield read my post i never said that I was against wearing the veil I am against the Hijab and its political statement ...


Yes i understand you now,you are against fundamentalism.
But how can you say that all the women in Hijab are fundamentalists ?
Did you enter their minds ?

[ruwais7]

and yet Tunisia is also the only Arab exception where women could be arrested for just wearing the veil in public :fiddle:

Anyway, you cannot say that banning polygamy is compatible with any interpretation of Islam.thats not your problem. your emirati and besides these Tunisians dont even have oil but are more advanced then Saudis. Saudis are literally afraid of their own women and not to mention the barbarian laws that supposed to be islamic. Tunisia practises the good islam. people think Saudi Arabia propogandizes the real islam, but most muslims dont even like wahhabis. some of them are also in UAE, i had many fights with saudis because saudis try to force their bs on people. tunisians dont.

[Black Mamba]

Yes i understand you now,you are against fundamentalism.
But how can you say that all the women in Hijab are fundamentalists ?
Did you enter their minds ?

You wouldn't believe the stuff I know about those women, not all of course!

You say to be a good Muslim, I have to wear the hijab?

Why most of those women don't even practice the prayers then?

I sense hypocrisy, the fact that a woman is wearing a headscarf, doesn't maker her better than me.