Women

Women's Institutions:

Ministry of Women, Family and Children's Affairs

In August 1993, the State Secretariat for Women and Family, which had been created in 1992, was made a full-fledged ministry, its mission being to develop government policy in the field of women and the family, and to coordinate the action of the different parties concerned by women's and family affairs.

In September 2002, it became Ministry of Women, Family and Children's Affairs.

The Center for Studies, Research, Documentation and Information on Women (CREDIF)

Under the authority of the Ministry of Women's and Family and Children's Affairs, the CREDIF is responsible for:

* Promoting studies and carrying out research and surveys on women and their status in Tunisian society.
* Gathering documentation pertaining to the dissemination of information that highlights women's rights.
* Preparing reports on the condition of women.

The activities of the CREDIF were recently reinforced and expanded by the creation of an observatory to monitor developments in the condition of women and by the launching of a training program on gender and development for Tunisian and African women, as an element in South/South cooperation.

The National Commission on "Women and Development"

A national commission on women and development was created in June 1991 as an element in the preparation of the Eighth National Plan for Economic and Social Development (1992-96). Its mission was to devise both an overall strategy and multi-sectoral programs and practical measures to benefit women, assisted in this by representatives of all governmental structures and institutions concerned by women's affairs, by representatives of all the parties and national organizations and associations working in this sector, in addition to a variety of female resources. This commission also prepared the "Women" strategy for the Ninth Plan (1997-2001) and the Tenth Plan (2002-2006) and the Plan of Action regarding Women as an element in follow-up to the Beijing Conference.

The National Council for Women and the Family

The National Council for Women and the Family is an advisory body that includes representatives of the governmental structures and institutions concerned by women's and family affairs, and representatives of non-governmental organizations and national associations working in the same sector. It is chaired by the Minister of Women's and Family Affairs. It was reinforced in 1997 by the creation of three commissions responsible in particular for monitoring the image of women in the media and for promoting equality of opportunity between the genders and enforcement of the law.

Women and International Conventions

Tunisia has ratified a large number of international conventions, including:

* international convention no. 4 on night labor for women;
* international labor convention no. 118 on equality of treatment (social welfare benefits);
* international labor convention no. 112 on recruitment policy;
* the international convention on the political rights of women;
* the international convention on eradicating all forms of racial discrimination;
* the ILO convention on equality of remuneration for identical labor performed by male and female workers;
* the Copenhagen convention on the eradication of all forms of discrimination against women.

Tunisian Women in International Organizations

Reflecting Tunisia's influence in promoting a policy for the advancement of women, many Tunisian women have been elected or appointed to regional or international United Nations bodies during the 90s.

Tunisian women occupy the positions of chairwoman of the coordinating committee of the Interparliamentary Union, expert on the UN Commission to Eradicate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), vice president of the Women's International Socialist (ISF), vice president of the African Women's Network for Development (FEMNET) and member of the executive bureau of the International Federation of Women Judges. In 1997, two Tunisian women were appointed to positions on the Economic Commission for Africa, as director in charge of the development of information and as regional advisor for the legal and human rights of women. In 1997, three women also entered the International Women's Council.

In 1997 a Tunisian woman was elected representative of the World Commission of Women Heads of Businesses before the CEA and in 1998 a Tunisian woman was appointed a member of the board of directors of the INSTRAW (International Institute for Research and Training for the Advancement of Women). A Tunisian woman was also appointed regional commissioner of the International Council on the Environment, and in 1997 two others were elected secretary general of the Arab Family Orgnization and of the steering ommittee of the International Union of Family Organizations.

Source: Ministry of Women, Family and Children's Affairs.

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