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Violence Against Women in Tunisia

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Violence Against Women in Tunisia Violence against Women in Tunisia Report prepared for the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) operating the SOS-TORTURE NETWORK The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), based in Geneva, is today the largest international coalition of non-governmental organisations fighting against torture, summary executions, forced disappearances and all other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. OMCT coordinates a network – SOS-Torture – of more than 260 national, regional and international organisations in 85 countries. The urgent appeals issued by the network on behalf of victims or potential victims of violence reach more than 90,000 governmental institutions, non- governmental organisations, associations and interest groups. OMCT has, since its inception, worked towards reinforcing and supporting the actions of organisations in the field, while avoiding substituting itself for them. The structure of the SOS-Torture network has enabled OMCT to reinforce local activity while favouring the access of national NGOs to international institutions. OMCT provides support to victims or potential victims of torture through urgent campaigns (notably in favour of children, women and human rights defenders), through the provision of urgent legal, social and/or medical assistance to victims and by way of the submission of alternative country reports to the various United Nations treaty monitoring bodies. Geneva, November 2002 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 27th session 3-21 June 2002 Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women by Tunisia Researched and written by Carin Benninger-Budel and Joanna Bourke-Martignoni Research Assistant Carolin Seger. Director of Publication: Eric Sottas For further information, please contact the Women’s Desk at OMCT. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women was adopted by the General Assembly in 1979. In 1981, the Convention entered into force and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was formally established. The major task of the Committee is to review the reports submitted by the States parties in order to oversee the implementation of the Convention. The issue of gender-based violence is not specifically addressed in the Convention, but it is however essential to its most fundamental provisions. In the general recommendation No. 19 adopted at its eleventh session in 1992, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women formally extended the general prohibition on gender-based discrimination to include gender-based violence. The Committee affirmed that violence against women constitutes a violation of their internationally recognised human rights, regardless of whether the perpetrator is a public official or a private person. One becomes inevitably aware of the fact that the States present reports that show only a one-sided image of reality, which is frequently incomplete. The case being, the effectiveness of this supervision and control depends on the quality of information available to the members of the various committees. Recent information, verified by reliable sources, is consequently indispensable. In submitting alternative reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), OMCT seeks to provide de facto information concerning violence against women, including torture, in a specific country as well as analyse national legislation that fosters violence against women. OMCT’s reports highlight the legal provisions, both penal and civil, of the States concerned, which discriminate against women or which, without being discriminatory as such, become so through their application. Unequal power relations between men and women have led to the domination of and discrimination against women, which in turn leads to violence against women. Furthermore, the reports draw attention to the lack of ways for the victims of violence to obtain reparation and identify the mechanisms guaranteeing the impunity of torturers. The reports include recommendations for reform of de facto practices and legislation aimed at reducing the incidence of violence against women in the country in question. Violence against Women in Tunisia 4 Contents Contents I. Preliminary Observations ........................................................................ 5 I.1 Tunisia’s International Obligations ..................................................... 7 II. General Observations on the Status of Women in Tunisia ............... 10 II.1 Equality between Women and Men under the Constitution ........... 10 II.2 Women’s Institutions ...................................................................... 10 II.3 Status of Women in the Family ....................................................... 11 II.4 Women’s Educational Opportunities and Literacy ........................ 14 II.5 Women’s Employment Opportunities ............................................. 15 II.6 Women in Politics ........................................................................... 16 II.7 Discrimination against Women on the Basis of the Dress Code .... 17 III. Violence Against Women in the Family ............................................. 18 IV. Violence Against Women in the Community ..................................... 22 IV.1 Violence Against sex Workers ........................................................ 22 IV.2 Sexual Harassment ........................................................................ 23 V. Violence Against Women Perpetrated by the State Agents ................ 25 V.1 Impunity ........................................................................................... 26 V.2 Individual Cases .............................................................................. 28 V.2,1 Targeting of Human Rights Defenders and their Families .... 28 V.2.2 Targeting of Family Members of Political Opponents........... 31 VI. Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................... 33 5 OMCT would like to express its gratitude for the information kindly provided, and for the assistance given in the course of research by the following individuals and organisations: Radhia Nasraoui Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates ISBN 2-88477-035-6 Violence against Women in Tunisia 6 Preliminary Observations I Preliminary Observations The promotion and protection of human rights in general and of women’s human rights in particular constitute essential elements of the Tunisian Government’s political programme as it strives to promote itself amongst the international community as a modern state respectful of fundamental freedoms and rights. Certain measures have been taken by the authorities to build a legal and constitutional framework for the promotion and protection of human rights, including women’s human rights. A number of governmental campaigns, institutions, projects and awareness-raising campaigns have furthered the process of advancing the status of women. Nevertheless, the reality is that the human rights situation in the country is deteriorating and there has been a marked increase in the level of State repression of individual rights in recent years. The Constitutional referendum of 26 May 2002, which effectively granted Tunisian President Ben Ali sole power over the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and further entrenched the impunity of the President for human rights violations, looks set to continue this trend. State repression and harassment has tended to target members of political opposition groups and human rights activists. In particular, human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders, and their relatives have been targeted by the authorities. Examples of violations of basic human rights are: the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, unfair trials and partial criminal investigations, arbitrary detention, incommunicado detention, detention in inhuman conditions, intimidation by the police, restrictions on freedom of speech and of the press, restrictions on freedom of assembly and association, restrictions on freedom of movement and on the operations of human rights organisations. Although the government continues to demonstrate strong support for the improvement of the human rights of women as described in the combined third and fourth periodic reports of the government of Tunisia: U.N. Doc CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4 (hereafter referred to as the government report), both legal discrimination and de facto discrimination against women continue to exist. OMCT would like to recall that in its General Recommendation No.19, (Eleventh session, 1992) the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (hereafter referred to as CEDAW) recommended that States parties should take all appropriate measures to 7 overcome all forms of gender-based violence whether by public or private act. Moreover, the Committee stated that laws against family violence and abuse, rape, sexual assault and other gender-based violence give adequate protection to all women, while promoting respect for their dignity and integrity. The Committee requested States parties to report on the nature and extent of violence and on the measures they have undertaken to overcome violence.1 OMCT would also like to recall that following
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