Do Arab Women Have Rights? Tunisia's Fight for Gender Equality
By: Amy Hensler/Arab America Contributing Writer
It is commonly believed that throughout the history of the Arab world, women have experienced discrimination. The media and various Western attempts at “civilizing” the Arab world have created the idea that Arab women need saving. However, this view is orientalist in nature, and it ignores the work and activism already taking place in Arab societies.
In recent history, different steps have been taken by women activists and political leaders to improve the overall status and situation of women in the Arab world. Women there have been fighting for reforms in the criminal justice system, and for educational and economic equality. Women held an active role in the Arab Spring protests, and while conditions are far from perfect, it is necessary to acknowledge the struggles and gains Arab women have made today.
A perfect example of the progress women have made so far is in Tunisia (Tunis) which is considered part of the Arab World, in North Africa.
Tunisia is the country that led the revolutionary string of protests in 2011 and now it’s leading the movement of gender equality in the Arab world. Women share important roles in Tunisian society and have one of the highest rates of female representation in Parliament. This gives women a direct role in Tunisia’s legislative future. This is an important step that has helped women hold a greater position in what has historically been a Patriarchal society. Women in Parliament have fought for increased inheritance rights, access to education, and to end gender-based violence.
Education in Tunisia is a field that has seen great improvements for women. Greater access to primary education for girls has resulted in a huge increase in literacy. According to the U.S. Population Reference Bureau, women’s literacy rate in Tunisia is 91%, and this has prompted some girls to seek out higher education. While men still outnumber women in schools and the workforce, this increase in education has led to women’s participation in the labor force to gradually increase. Women currently hold half of all jobs in law and medicine, making them leading examples in the fight for gender equality.
Current President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi, is making ground by launching a commission to further individual liberties and equality for women. He continuously calls for legislation based on equality between the sexes and has made attempts at amending inheritance and marriage laws. One of the biggest concerns of women in the Arab world are matters of inheritance because Islamic law has made it difficult for women to claim land and resources. However, Tunisia is attempting to make it easier for women to become more economically independent by overturning these laws.
Another recent example of the strides Tunisia has made to increase women’s role in society is with the recent election of Souad Abderrahim. Abderrahim was elected Mayor of Tunis (capital of Tunisia/Tunis) this August, and she is the first woman to be elected in 160 years. She is a part of the Islamic party, Ennahda, and shows a more moderate side of Islamic political positions. Such an influential figure is bound to inspire other female leaders around the world.
In the efforts to protect women from gender-based violence, the Tunisian Parliament adopted new legislation aimed at punishing the perpetrators of violence. There has been a shift towards granting victims more control over their lives and recognizing that psychological damage produced by rape is a viable form of assault and is punishable by law.
“Marry your rapist” laws are widespread amongst many parts of the world, and they state that if a rapist marries his victim, he is exempt from legal consequences and suffers no justice under the law. The newly repealed laws of 2017 in Tunisia do protect women from the cultural shame surrounding rape because they give women the chance to marry even though they are no longer virgins. Such change happened under the hands of feminist protests and outrage. This landmark decision is setting the progressive tone for other countries to follow.
Tunisia has even led the movement for women’s abortion rights, giving women greater access to contraceptive practices. Abortion became legalized in Tunisia in 1965, eight years before the landmark abortion case in the United States, Roe vs. Wade. This made Tunisia the first Muslim country to legalize abortion laws and therefore became important to other Muslim countries.
Changing cultural attitudes is the hardest thing about women’s rights in the Arab world. Although an attempt is being made at shifting the attitudes, still Tunisia is being recognized for the crucial and worthwhile contributions to laws regarding women’s equality which may impact not only the Arab World but also other countries in the world.
