Focus on Rural Women in Tunisia
The Gender Election Monitoring (GEM) mission report released by Gender Concerns International in 2011 highlighted the difference between female voting in urban and rural areas. The attendance of women in rural areas was significantly lower. An EU report recently stated that this problem was brought about as Tunisian women in rural areas often do not possess an ID that cost 25TDN=11 euro. The upcoming elections in Tunisia require a focus on rural women to ensure that gender participation is equally promoted across the country.
In our meeting with the President of the ISIE on the 12th September, Mr. Chafik Sarsar ensured that this issue was addressed and in the cooperation with the State Secretariat for Women and Family and Ministry of Social Affairs this year the process of issuing IDs to 300000 rural women was facilitated.