Celebrating Feminists’ Voices, Inspiring Global Peace

Women’s Rights in Tunisia

8 April 2013

In Tunisia, the top priority for women is to take action on the establishment of the new constitution within the text of the principle of equality and inclusion of women in decision-making and negotiating opportunities.

 “Tunisia is characterised by an accelerated rhythm of history, a new configuration of power relationships and by unstable changes that have had dire consequences on women’s human rights.
The women’s movement provides a multitude of possibilities for action which all cater to women’s rights in Tunisia.

What the Women of Tunisia Stand Against

Women in Tunisia have demonstrated on the streets continuously with other agents of civil society and have equally monitored women’s rights in the national and international fora against the attempts to postpone democracy and the marginalisation of politics, the censorship of the media, the limitation of public spaces and the violence perpetrated by organised groups and parallel militias affiliating themselves with morality police; which, according to women’s associations, are the premises of the implementation of a new dictatorship.

The women of Tunisia also stand against the economic and social marginalisation of women and unemployment policies that discriminate against them and the regional imbalance. Youth and regions have been exacerbated by globalisation and liberalism. In such context, women are weakened and pay the highest price.

Tunisian women stand against those reactionary voices that attempt to undermine women’s entitlements on the pretext of religious and cultural specificities and which confine identity in a rigid and out-dated vision.

They also refuse the increasing extremism and violence against civilians, artists, and human rights activists. Because this area of freedom has not only been opened for Tunisians but also for different voices and particularly those who threaten progressive entitlements and fight on the ground to establish a model of a reactionary society. The exclusion of women from decision-making processes, from political structures, and from state’s key positions provide a negative image conveyed by the media and social networks.

As the National Constituent Assembly writes the new Constitution, the top priority in the eyes of Tunisian women is to take action on the establishment within this text of the principle of equality as an inalienable principle, as well as for international conventions Tunisia had ratified.”

 

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Melissa Torres

VICE-PRESIDENT

Prior to being elected Vice-President, Melissa Torres was the WILPF US International Board Member from 2015 to 2018. Melissa joined WILPF in 2011 when she was selected as a Delegate to the Commission on the Status of Women as part of the WILPF US’ Practicum in Advocacy Programme at the United Nations, which she later led. She holds a PhD in Social Work and is a professor and Global Health Scholar at Baylor College of Medicine and research lead at BCM Anti-Human Trafficking Program. Of Mexican descent and a native of the US/Mexico border, Melissa is mostly concerned with the protection of displaced Latinxs in the Americas. Her work includes training, research, and service provision with the American Red Cross, the National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Centre, and refugee resettlement programs in the U.S. Some of her goals as Vice-President are to highlight intersectionality and increase diversity by fostering inclusive spaces for mentorship and leadership. She also contributes to WILPF’s emerging work on the topic of displacement and migration.

Jamila Afghani

VICE-PRESIDENT

Jamila Afghani is the President of WILPF Afghanistan which she started in 2015. She is also an active member and founder of several organisations including the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organisation (NECDO). Elected in 2018 as South Asia Regional Representative to WILPF’s International Board, WILPF benefits from Jamila’s work experience in education, migration, gender, including gender-based violence and democratic governance in post-conflict and transitional countries.

Sylvie Jacqueline Ndongmo

PRESIDENT

Sylvie Jacqueline NDONGMO is a human rights and peace leader with over 27 years experience including ten within WILPF. She has a multi-disciplinary background with a track record of multiple socio-economic development projects implemented to improve policies, practices and peace-oriented actions. Sylvie is the founder of WILPF Cameroon and was the Section’s president until 2022. She co-coordinated the African Working Group before her election as Africa Representative to WILPF’s International Board in 2018. A teacher by profession and an African Union Trainer in peace support operations, Sylvie has extensive experience advocating for the political and social rights of women in Africa and worldwide.

WILPF Afghanistan

In response to the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban and its targeted attacks on civil society members, WILPF Afghanistan issued several statements calling on the international community to stand in solidarity with Afghan people and ensure that their rights be upheld, including access to aid. The Section also published 100 Untold Stories of War and Peace, a compilation of true stories that highlight the effects of war and militarisation on the region. 

IPB Congress Barcelona

WILPF Germany (+Young WILPF network), WILPF Spain and MENA Regional Representative

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Demilitarisation

WILPF uses feminist analysis to argue that militarisation is a counter-productive and ill-conceived response to establishing security in the world. The more society becomes militarised, the more violence and injustice are likely to grow locally and worldwide.

Sixteen states are believed to have supplied weapons to Afghanistan from 2001 to 2020 with the US supplying 74 % of weapons, followed by Russia. Much of this equipment was left behind by the US military and is being used to inflate Taliban’s arsenal. WILPF is calling for better oversight on arms movement, for compensating affected Afghan people and for an end to all militarised systems.

Militarised masculinity

Mobilising men and boys around feminist peace has been one way of deconstructing and redefining masculinities. WILPF shares a feminist analysis on the links between militarism, masculinities, peace and security. We explore opportunities for strengthening activists’ action to build equal partnerships among women and men for gender equality.

WILPF has been working on challenging the prevailing notion of masculinity based on men’s physical and social superiority to, and dominance of, women in Afghanistan. It recognizes that these notions are not representative of all Afghan men, contrary to the publicly prevailing notion.

Feminist peace​

In WILPF’s view, any process towards establishing peace that has not been partly designed by women remains deficient. Beyond bringing perspectives that encapsulate the views of half of the society and unlike the men only designed processes, women’s true and meaningful participation allows the situation to improve.

In Afghanistan, WILPF has been demanding that women occupy the front seats at the negotiating tables. The experience of the past 20 has shown that women’s presence produces more sustainable solutions when they are empowered and enabled to play a role.

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