ZUHÛR EL-MEŞRIQÎ

Tunisia- 11 Tunisian women departed from Oum El Araies region of Tunisia’s Gafsa governorate to the capital of Tunisia on August 14 to draw attention to women’s rights and the increasing unemployment rate in the country and make their voices heard. After walking 400 km, the women arrived in Tunis on August 20. Their demand to meet with Tunisian President Kais Saied was rejected. The president appointed officials to meet with women and listen to their demands but the women didn’t accept that. The women were awaited at the Youth House located in Marsa, north of the capital, for days. At the end of August, the women were forcibly sent back to their homes. We spoke to Tunisia women from different social groups about the march of women and the president’s reject to meet women.

Women’s action was ignored

Women’s rights activist Sawsan Zaghouani said the action of 11 women was ignored by the Tunisian government and political parties. “We can no longer find any solution for problems faced by rural women. It is impossible to talk about the situation of women working in agriculture in villages.”

“Everyone has the right to work”

Jannat Kedashi is the president of the Association of Voix d'Ève, a non-profit organization that was officially founded in 2012 to fight against all forms of discrimination against women. “Our association demands the right to work for everybody without discrimination. Women have the right to work to have a life with dignity. The authorities refuse to employ these women because their husbands work. This step is a symbolic move that reflects the deprivation of women of their rights. The Tunisian Constitution grants everyone the right to work without discrimination.

“Promises remain only on papers”

Journalist Siwar Amaidiah also criticizes the attitude of Tunisian President Kais Saied against the women. “Their march reveals the situation of unemployed women and youth. Most of them demanded jobs for their children. Women are in a very bad situation. 30 percent of girls in villages have to work to earn their education expenses. The government always makes statements about the role of Tunisian women. But their promises seem to remain only on papers. The country has signed many conventions in the last 10 years to improve the living conditions of more than 500,000 women working in rural areas. But nothing has been done until now.”