Gender Equality in Tunisia (Important Updates)
After t he law on violence against women approved by the Tunisian parliament on July 26, 2017, made headlines around the world as a landmark step for women’s rights in Tunisia , Tunisia's celebration of women's day (August 13th) took a historical turn. In his speech on the occasion, the Tunisian President announced the creation of a committee for individual rights to further guarantee gender equality to be headed by prominent women rights advocate and lawyer Bochra Belhaj Hmida . This committee should support the president's call to review and change Tunisian legislation in order to guarantee: - the right of Tunisian women to marry a "non-Muslim" (publication No. 73 prohibits Tunisian women from marrying a foreigner if his Islamic faith is not recognized by the Mufti). - inheritance equality ( arbitration in inheritance is still based on the Sharia or Islamic law, where the man ’s share equals to that of two women). This step comes after years of l...
