The Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security resolutions in Tunisia

Tunisia is not a country in armed conflict but a country facing the threat of breaching peace and stability. While Tunisia is
undergoing a democratic transition following the Arab Spring, it has also become home to an emergent Salafi-jihadi
movement following the ousting of Ben Ali in 2011. The opening of the political sphere also allowed conservative religious
forces, which were previously repressed, to access political power and attempt to reverse advances in terms of women’s
rights; which was met with fierce opposition from civil society. Tunisia has a long history of progressive policies and laws
relating to women’s rights. The Code of Personal Status (1956) has been key to the emancipation of women and the
recognition of equal rights. Tunisia ratified the CEDAW in 1985, with reservations, which were lifted in 2011. Prior to the
first democratic elections in 2011, Tunisian women secured an electoral law that requires gender parity in candidate lists
submitted by political parties. In January 2014, Tunisia adopted a new Constitution that ensured equality for women and
men.

Tunisia is faced with adopting a global security policy adapted to the current national, regional and global context. At the
same time, the country is implementing a strategy to combat violent extremism of which violence against women is both a
facilitating framework as well as a direct result. Since 2011, Tunisia has embarked on a series of reforms regarding its justice
and security systems, with a particular focus on prevention of all forms of violence based on gender. The work carried out
regarding the texts provides a framework of protection. However, adopted laws do not give immediate enjoyment of the
rights it grants, as it requires enforcement.

UN Women, Tunisian NGO Aswat Nissa and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance launched a project to
include a gender perspective to the security sector reform in 2017. Female deputies were trained to become ambassadors for
the WPS agenda, to promote gender sensitive budgeting and gender parity for the legislative elections. Moreover, women’s
rights organization in Tunisia train young women to be present themselves for elections, with great success. In Tunisia,
women make up 47% of the elected politicians in the local governments (2019), compared to 30% in previous years.

Women make up only 25.3% of the labor force in Tunisia, and are especially underrepresented in the security sector; 8% in
the armed forces and the Ministry of defense. Women made up 6% of the police force until 2011, thanks to quotas, but the
recruitment stagnated after 2011 with the troika government and the discontinuity of this policy. This imbalance has
implications for peace and security; women may detect early warning signals of oncoming violence or radicalization that
men may miss. Moreover, women in police forces can access the female half of the population, and women are more likely
to report gender-based violence to female officers, which is also an important issue.

Tunisia adopted its first National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of UNSCR1325 in July 2018, which is to be
implemented for the period of 2018-2022. The development of the NAP was characterized by a participative approach and a
committed steering committee involving 12 ministries, the security pole against terrorism and organized crime, the National
Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT), the Truth and Dignity Comission (IVD) and the National Commission to Combat
Terrorism (CNLCT). The development of the NAP was initiated in 2016 with the financial support of the Finnish
Government. The process was coordinated by UN Women, which organized workshops for all stakeholders on the
importance of a NAP, the of the steering committee led by the Ministry of Women, Family, Children and Seniors.
Representatives from civil society organization from different regions received training on the role of civil society in the
implementation of the NAP.

UN Women is the key coordinator for the WPS agenda in Tunisia. They work closely with relevant national authorities
(ministries and security forces) on capacity building, select and finance the projects of local NGOs, collaborate with centers
and think thanks on research, statistics and publications. UN women also collaborate with international civil society
organizations on research and advocacy, especially related to gender and violent extremism. Local NGOs tend to carry out
the projects on the ground, such as Aswat Nissa and Association pour la Droit à la Difference (ADD), which work on anti-
radicalization of youth. UN Women also ensures coordination between other UN entities and create forums where different
actors in the field of WPS can meet and exchange. Finland has been the main donor for the WPS agenda in Tunisia, but other
countries like France and the EU finance specific projects related to WPS.

References :

ONU Femmes & CREDIF “ Etat des lieux de la mise en oeuvre de la résolution 1325 en Tunisie » (2017) [online], pp. 1-
120, available :
https://maghreb.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20maghreb/documents/publications/2017/07/etat%20des%20lieux
%20fps%20-vf/etat%20des%20lieux%20fps%20-vf.pdf?la=fr&vs=4145

Association pour la promotion du Droit à la Différence (ADD) & ONU Femmes (2017) Le plafond de verre : Etude basée
sur l’Analyse en Composante Principale (ACP) sur les processus des facteurs majeurs de la radicalisation des jeunes des
deux sexes à Zarzouna et Douar Hicher en Tunisie, [online], pp. 1-44, available:
http://www2.unwomen.org/-/media/field%20office%20maghreb/documents/publications/2017/07/etude%20fr%20vf
%2026%2007.pdf?la=fr&vs=4342

Aswat Nissa (2017) « Ambassadrices pour les femmes, la paix et la sécurité », available:
https://www.aswatnissa.org/projet/femme_securite/ambassadrices-pour-les-femmes-la-paix-et-la-securite/