Tunisia Launches New Awareness Campaign on Violence Against Women

November 24, 2017 at 8:55 pm
Middle East Monitor

People wear traditional costumes during the National Day of traditional dress at Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis, Tunisia on March 12, 2017. ( Amine Landoulsi - Anadolu Agency )
November 24, 2017 at 8:55 pm

Tunisian Minister of Women, Family and Children, Naziha Obeidi yesterday launched a campaign on violence against women which will begin tomorrow and end 10 December.

According to the minister, the campaign aims to raise awareness and create a supportive public opinion about all forms of violence against women.

“This campaign will witness the signing of a joint agreement to protect female victims of violence between the Ministries of Justice, Interior, Health, Social Affairs, Women, Family and Children,” the minister said during a press conference.

“This campaign will also intensify the outreach campaign on the Basic Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which was passed in July and will enter into force in February 2018.”

Tunisia currently has five shelters for female victims of violence.

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The minister has also announced the launching of a new campaign to raise awareness of the Basic Law on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and its definition in public places.

She added that the ministry has opened a new 24-hour hotline to report incidents of violence against women.

According to official statistics, 47 per cent of Tunisian women between the ages of 18 and 64 years were subjected to violence at least once in their lives. According to the minister, physical violence was the most common at 31.7 per cent, followed by psychological violence at 28.9 per cent, sexual violence at 15.7 per cent and economic violence at 7.1 per cent.

In July, the Tunisian parliament passed a law which criminalised economic, political and social violence against women and mandates the state to protect female victims of violence.