Topics: Women

Presidential Citation
Women and Civil Rights
Women and Socio-ecomnomic Rights
Women and Public Life
Women's Institutions
Women Public Figures

Women

Women and Socio-economic Rights:

Healthcare and family planning

Charity bank of medicine comes into service Tunis, Sept. 2, 2008 (TAP) - The charity bank of medicine came into service on Monday. In order to mark the launch of this new solidarity mechanism, created by the Tunisian Union for Social Solidarity (UTSS) as instructed by President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, a ceremony was held on Tuesday at the premises of the charity bank, with attendance of minister of social affairs, solidarity and Tunisian expatriates, Ali Chaouch, minister of public health, Mondher Zenaidi and UTSS chairman Charfeddine Guellouz.

In 1964, Tunisia adopted an ambitious family planning program. A special program of health and family planning education was also launched throughout the country; family planning and maternal-child health services were combined in basic health care centers, and these services were made more readily available to remote rural areas through mobile units belonging to the National Family and Population Board (ONFP).

Life expectancy at birth:

1966: 51 yrs

2005: 73.5 yrs

Education

* School enrollment of girls at the age of 6 has reached more than 99.1 % in 2003-2004.
* The proportion of girls in the total primary school population rose from 38.6% in 1974-75 to 47.7% during the 2002-2003 year.
* In the secondary schools, this proportion rose from 32.4% in 1975-76 to 53% in 2003-2004.
* The number of women enrolled in institutions of higher education has increased considerably during recent years. The percentage of young women in universities rose to 51.9% in 2000-2001 and 57% today (compared to 25.8% in 1975).

Literacy

The national campaign to eradicate illiteracy, launched in 1993-94, targets a population of 67,000 girls and women between the ages of 15 and 29.
Tunisia's success in this field earned it the 1994 UNESCO prize for literacy, awarded to the National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT).

The rate of women literacy increased from 24% in 1966 to 77.1.% in 2004.

Labor: A Favorable Environment

Tunisian labor legislation has developed in harmony with international legislation.

Women have now conquered all sectors and all branches of activity, and they have done so with a rapidity and a facility of adaptation that clearly demonstrate their competence, talents and capacity for innovation. The percentage of women in the working population has risen from 6% in 1966 to 25% in 2003.

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