Tunisia ‘drags history backwards’

As the Tunisian Code of Personal Status is turning 56 years old, women in the country fear that they’re about to lose its most important message: equality. A new draft constitution on women’s rights --Chapter 28 -- which suggests that the principle of equality between men and women should be replaced with the term “integration”. This was rejected by most women’s associations which considers it is a withdrawal of the rights women have acquired over the years. The National Constituent Assembly adopted on August 1 a proposition from the Islamic Ennahda Movement which rules that "the State guarantees the protection of women's rights and gains on the basis of the complementary principle with men within a family unit.”    Head of theTunisian Association of Democratic Women Ahlam Blhajj told Arabstoday that the Code of Personal Status brought a dark period to an end for Tunisian women. She said: "The replacement of the equality principle with the integration principle in the new constitution gives a male mentality to Tunisian society and limits women’s social role, as well as making them submissive to men.” She added that Tunisian women will not accept losing what they have achieved, especially that of equality between men and women. Head of the Women's Association for Research and Development Radia Dridi said that “the promulgation of the Code of Personal Status rights following Tunisia’s independence was not a coincidence. It was a planned act that aimed to identify the legal framework for co-existence between individuals within one family. She added to Arabstoday: "Leader Habib Bourguiba wanted the law of personal status to be made before the announcement of the Republic in order to build a modern and open society based on equality between men and women.” The issue of the Code aims to find ways of emancipating women and improving their situation and family life. A number of political parties wish to adhere to the equality principle between women and men as stated in the Personal Status Code for the benefit of Tunisian women. The Labour party stated that “changing the equality principle is considered a hostile act against women and a breach of the principles of the revolution. “The articles on women’s rights in the Constitution would be a measure of the revolution’s success.” Labour confirmed that the replacement of the equality principle with “integration within the family” reveals the intentions of the Ennahda Movement. Labour called on all progressive and democratic forces to address this "dangerous" project and stick to equality between the sexes. Demonstrations are expected on Monday night to demand the withdrawal of Chapter 28 in the new draft Constitution. The League for the Defence of Human Rights and the Tunisian General Union of Workers and the Association of Democratic Women have condemned what they have called the growing “Islamisation” of women’s rights. They said in a statement that Tunisia and its women are faced with politicians trying to drag history backwards, threatening to blow up achievements that generations have sacrificed for.