ZİHÛR EL-MEŞRİQÎ

Tunisia- 11 Tunisian women departed from Oum El Araies region of Tunisia’s Gafsa governorate on August 14 to the capital of Tunisia in order to draw attention to women’s rights in the country and make their voices heard. After walking 400 km, the women arrived in Tunis on August 20. They demanded a meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied however their request was rejected by the president. The president appointed officials to meet with women and listen to their demands but the women didn’t accept that and they are determined to meet the president. The women have been waiting for meeting with the president at the Youth House located in Marsa, north of the capital, since August 20.

Call on the president

60-year-old Khadija Zaghdudi is one of 11 women. She called on Tunisian President Kais Saied to meet with them. Stating that they have been ignored since 2011, Khadija Zaghdudi said, “We do not believe or trust anyone except the President. Despite all the difficulties we went through during the march, he rejected our meeting request and we were sent to the Youth House. We are still hopeful for meeting him.”

They demand jobs

52-year-old Siham Zaghdudi indicated that they wanted to tell the authorities and officials their demands but they couldn’t. “We thought President Kais Saied would listen to our demands because he calls himself “the son of people”. We don't want anything different. We just demand our right to work. We just want to tell him our demands. We demand jobs,” Siham Zaghdudi told NuJinha.

60-year-old Aisha Slmi recalled that they had marched 400 km to tell their demands and she said, “We will not leave the capital until telling our demands.”