The National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT) on Wednesday called for the revision of the electoral code to increase women’s participation in elections and guarantee the principle of parity.

In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the UNFT underlined that the decrease of women’s representation in the new parliament and the absence of female deputies representing the governorates of Kairouan, Mahdia, Tozeur, Sidi Bouzid, Jendouba, Beja and Zaghouan will have serious repercussions.

The organisation also called for the effective implementation of Law No. 58 on the elimination of all forms of violence against women and the dissemination of a culture of respect for women’s rights to combat the dangerous repercussions of violence on the family and society.

Combating patriarchal mindsets remains the main challenge to put an end to all forms of violence against women, the statement said.

“It is also necessary to step up the fight against crimes that target girls and women, notably on social networks, by all legal, sociological and cultural means,” the same source reads.

The UNFT pointed out the need to guarantee social coverage to all vulnerable categories, especially women without support and domestic workers.

The organisation recalled that the illiteracy rate among women has risen to 29% reaching 60% in some regions and that 50% of the students who drop out of school each year are girls, more than 50% of whom have been subjected to violence.

The UNFT considered that despite the legal arsenal, there is no total equality between men and women.

Indeed, Tunisian women still suffer from discriminatory behaviour, particularly in terms of pay and social security coverage in the agricultural and industrial sectors. She is also subject to economic exploitation and works in insecure and indecent conditions, the UNFT argued.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse