A traditional family that is gradually changing
One can only be sensitive to the warmth that emanates from the Tunisian family unit. In the countryside, the family is very traditional, with the father as the undisputed head. In the city, women work, have positions of responsibility, and the children go to the nanny. In recent years, however, mutual aid and family solidarity have been changing, and the institution of the family is undergoing upheaval. The Tunisian population, which was essentially rural more than 40 years ago, now lives in urban areas. Households today are changing their place of residence, often living alone and separated from the large family. Even if the latter plays a supportive role, a regression of its role and of the paternal power is felt. In fact, the father's power of decision in marriage is decreasing, this evolution gives rise to tensions and ruptures, the new generations are asserting themselves in the decision making. The children need their parents materially, the difficulty of finding a job making them dependent sometimes until an advanced age.
Priority to education through schooling
Generalized since the early years of independence, education has been compulsory for nine years for all children ages 6 to 16 since 1991. The adult illiteracy rate has dropped from 19.3% in recent years to 17.7% in 2021. The national baccalaureate diploma validates the secondary cycle and opens the doors to university. The baccalaureate has become a must-take exam. Those who do not have it are nowadays almost singled out. The national exams are of a very high standard. The winners are rightly rewarded and highlighted, with some parents publishing a congratulatory message in the newspapers, possibly with a photo of the new graduate. In higher education, courses of study vary from short courses of two to four years to long courses of four years or more. The number of teachers at Tunisian universities remains insufficient in the face of the rapid increase in the number of students. This growth reflects the great evolution of student numbers.
Difficult access to work
Since its independence, Tunisia has given importance to the implementation of a youth policy. Reforms have been implemented in education at all levels and in vocational training. Vocational training through "trade schools" is a second chance for young people, but it is only partially used. The low level of education persists, the lack of work experience affects young people, and the low pay and lack of protection do not help. Unemployment figures are quite high for all categories of the population. According to the latest estimates, the total unemployment rate is 18.4% (2021). Unemployment is often long-term and affects many young people, especially women, whether or not they have a degree. Youth unemployment was at the origin of the Tunisian revolution of 2011: by immolating himself in front of the headquarters of the governorate of Sidi Bouzid, Mohamed Bouazizi, unemployed graduate and street vendor, has demonstrated the disarray of Tunisian youth, especially in the interior of the country. Employment is therefore, still and always, a priority. The promising sectors are tourism, new technologies, renewable energy, electronics and electrical industry and agriculture.
The uniformity of the exterior of the house disappears inside
Each house in the medina is above all a private space where the family can work and rest. The houses present to the passer-by an austere and uninspiring aspect. The principle of uniformity that reigns in the alleys of the medina aims to erase (externally) the differences in social class between the inhabitants. In the eyes of everyone, everyone is somehow housed in the same place.
The difference is on the inside. Very often, it will be a large blind wall, perhaps with windows, small, screened and high enough to prohibit a glance inside. If they are located on the upper floors, the openings will be larger, decorated with blinds or moucharabiehs, often projecting onto the street. Privacy is always preserved. The entrance door is large, sometimes monumental, decorated with colors and symbols. Once through the door, one generally arrives in the reception room, the limit not to be exceeded for the "foreigner".
The largest part of the house is the woman's domain. For some time now, the strict separation between private and public in the house has hardly been observed. Modern buildings have encouraged this change, as no architectural concessions are made to Islamic preferences.
Regular strikes
Since the 2011 revolution, Tunisia has been hit by numerous strikes and factory occupations. For a long time forbidden under Ben Ali's regime, employees had no means of making demands and strikes were often violently repressed. Since the fall of the regime, social inequality and the poor distribution of wealth are the main demands of Tunisians. The companies in the center of the country (especially around Gafsa) are the most concerned, and today there are few days of truce or sectors spared. On June 7, 2022, the magistrates of all Tunisian courts began a strike to protest against the dismissal of 57 of their colleagues by President Kaïs Saïed for corruption mentioned.
The difficult evolution of morals
Traditionally, girls must be virgins at the time of their marriage, and this requirement is still valid today. Nevertheless, in big cities like Tunis, morals are more flexible on this subject... It is not uncommon for young women to have known other men before getting married, the main thing being that they seem to be virgins at their wedding; for this they can undergo a small operation... Some couples also live in concubinage; this is, of course, not frequent, and not very well seen by the people around them, but it nevertheless indicates a certain change in mentality.
The consecration of marriage
It remains a goal for almost all Tunisian girls. Before being the occasion of great family celebrations and sometimes sumptuous parties, marriage is a civil and religious act: it obeys certain precise rules. The Tunisian regime does not give any power to the husband on the administration of his wife's property. On the other hand, marriage cannot take place without the explicit consent of the woman. A new trend is that marriages are performed before civil registrars at the town hall. Otherwise, it is done at home (but the steps are longer) or at the mosque. Normally, the spouses undergo a blood test to verify that there is no incompatibility between the man and the woman for the child that will be born. For this purpose, the mayor or his deputy always requests a medical certificate
While retaining its Islamic character, the marriage is, from a legal point of view, a simple civil process. The traditional ceremony remains exceptional and can last two weeks, usually three days or even sometimes only one day during which the bride-to-be is adorned with the most beautiful outfits, made up, depilated; her feet and hands are covered with henna drawings. Throughout this preparatory period, she is the object of all the attention. The wedding ceremony and its preparation vary a little according to the region. Nevertheless, in general the preparatory rites are similar.
The evolution of women's rights since the 20th century
Equality between men and women is expressly affirmed in Tunisian legislation, an almost unique case in the Arab-Muslim world. Until Tunisia gained independence, legislation concerning the status of women was based on the Islamic laws of the Koran. In 1936, the Muslim Union of Tunisian Women appeared, linked to the Zitounians. The equality, solidarity and responsibility of both parents were affirmed through a series of provisions: the abolition of polygamy, the institution of judicial divorce and the equality of men and women with regard to the right to divorce were integrated into the Code of Personal Status that came into force on August 13, 1956. Habib Bourguiba was faithful to his commitments to equality between men and women. Today, the "Women's Day" is celebrated every year and is always a holiday (which is not the case in France).
Women play an important role in the rehabilitation of crafts and arts and craftsmanship, as well as in the adaptation of traditional techniques and styles to the needs of modern life. Finally, it is not uncommon to see women police officers and cab drivers on the street, women pilots on Tunisair routes and, deep in the Kerkennah Islands, women "fishermen. The Constitution of January 2014 reaffirmed the place of women in society: gender parity in elected assemblies, equal pay for men and women, protection of women's rights and the fight against domestic violence. But the battle continues, especially in the private space.
The struggle for gay rights
On April 24, 2020, the marriage of a French-Tunisian gay couple celebrated in France was made official in Tunisia following an administrative error. In Tunisia, homosexuality is still considered a crime, punishable by three years in prison. Mounir Baatour, president of Shams, an association fighting for LGBTQI+ rights, and the couple's lawyer, reported that "the marriage certificate [was] transmitted by the French town hall to the Tunisian consulate. The consulate forwarded it to the municipality of the Tunisian husband's birthplace, which transcribed it onto his birth certificate."
But the case that could turn the tide of gay rights in Tunisia is the so-called "Kef case," a region in the northwest. In July 2020, two men, then aged 26, were sentenced to one year in prison under Article 230 of the Penal Code after, among other things, refusing to undergo an anal test. This practice still exists in 7 countries in the world, including Tunisia. Lawyer Hassina Darraji called the sentence "cruel and [going] against international standards." So, in December 2021, a group of lawyers and human rights activists launched an appeal in cassation against the colonial-era law on homosexuality.
In 2022, about 150 people were incarcerated for homosexuality in Tunisia, which is contrary to human dignity.
