Tunis Declaration seeks to end gender-based violence

28/06/2007

At a June 22nd meeting in Tunis, Maghreb and Spanish leaders pledged their commitment to fight gender-based violence. The resulting Tunis Declaration established a concrete plan of action for participating countries to educate their populations about the issue and to establish a framework of institutions to support victims of domestic violence.

By Mona Yahya for Magharebia in Tunis – 28/06/2007

[Getty Images] A study in Tunisia showed violence directed against women is not limited to specific social groupings

The Tunisian Ministry for Women and Family Affairs and Spain's International Development Agency held a two-day meeting in Tunis on June 22nd focusing on the prevention of gender-based violence. The meeting led to the Tunis Declaration, a document calling for numerous changes, including a Maghreb institution to monitor gender-based violence.

The watchdog group would support Maghreb anti-domestic violence policies, conduct research and studies, facilitate the exchange of expertise on prevention and establish databases and a regional outreach plan.

The Tunis Declaration proposes the creation of a Spanish-Maghreb partnership network to support dialogue and debate on violence against women, and to support women victims of violence. Partner nations would also wage an awareness campaign in the media to fight violence and its causes.

Nabila Hamza, representative of the National Office for the Family and Population in Tunisia, told Magharebia, "This meeting was an opportunity to announce [our] goal of learning about the experiences of neighbouring nations in the area of combating violence against women and exchanging studies and experience, whether among Maghreb nations or [with] Spain."

"Spain has progressive laws and legislation in the area of defending women’s rights, and it tries to spread these norms to nations so inclined.," Spain's Sub-director General of Cooperation with Mediterranean Basin Countries, Carolina Mayeur, told Magharebia.

Participating in this meeting’s activities were representatives of governments and associations from Maghreb countries and Spain, as well as the UN and other international organisations, and top academics and experts in the field.

Tunisian Public Health Minister Mohamed Ridha Kechrid said the Maghreb-Spanish meeting represents a new step in the direction of establishing a partnership to combat violence against women and a comprehensive network of preventive services. He highlighted the negative effects of domestic violence on children and families.

Nearly 25 countries, including Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, have pledged their commitment to implementing national strategies to wipe out gender-based violence.

The Tunisian plan involves studying the causes and effects of gender-based violence on public health, society and economics, as well as launching a media campaign to educate Tunisians, particularly young people, on identification and prevention. It also involves establishing a comprehensive database for assessing and following incidents of and trends in gender-based violence.

The Tunisian Ministry of Women and Family Affairs undertook a field study that showed violence directed against women in Tunisia is not limited to specific social groupings, though it is exacerbated by poor economic conditions. It also showed that 50% of female victims of physical violence also suffer verbal abuse. The study revealed that alcohol abuse accounts for 77% of the reported cases of domestic violence, while forced marriage is involved in as many as 60% of reported cases.