Tunisia Seeks Gender Parity At Ballot Box

Of all the Arab countries, Tunisia is by far the most progressive on women's rights. And this is not even a question of relativity versus, say, Saudi bans of female drivers, but in and of itself Tunisia adheres to respect for women in the legal code which has bequeathed a society where women are empowered and men more enlightened in their regard for daughters and wives.

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Its independence leader and president Habib Bourguiba enacted an ambitious Personal Status Code law that banned polygamy (the only Arab country to do so), ended repudiation and instead equalized divorce law, legalized abortion and in general upheld the rights of women. This Code was amended in the 90s' to issue a resolution conveying the expression that even in the household men and women need to be equals. Not even the US Congress has ever passed such sentiment.

The authoritarian RCD party also included more women in parliament than any other Arab nation.

All of this had led women in Tunisia to be a strong presence in public life. In some quarters of the Arab world, women are subdued and harbor little ambition. Not in Tunisia:

Women played a significant role in the revolution, the secretary general of one of the most popular parties, PDP, is a women, and women are 26% of all Tunisian workers, 50% of students, 29% of judges and 40% of lawyers, and nearly a quarter of diplomats.

This is not to say that all is perfect, it isn't. But here in the United States, it is neither still.

So when it comes to women's rights Tunisia is already there as opposed to other Arab revolutions which will start the process of women's rights that Tunisia has already been present at. Tunisia is starting at a higher plane which is crucial for liberal democracy: the emancipation of women.

So do the Islamists pose a threat of backtracking? If they win, yes. But they will not secure a majority. Tunisians are a tolerant and open Mediterranean people. And even the Islamists state that they will uphold women's rights and believe in the Code, I believe this is just electoral hedging but it is a testament to the culture in Tunisia that even the Islamists have to (disingenuously) express feminist views.

And now Tunisia has marked another stone in the cause of equality: gender parity at the ballot box. The Tunisian interim cabinet has ruled that all political parties, in order to stand for elections, will have to equally balance male candidates with female candidates. Even the Islamists supported the measure.

This comes after the revolutionary committee was expanded with the mandate that all delegated (from political parties, unions, associations, ect...) must include at least one women from their troika.

With half of the candidates being women for the upcoming July 24 elections, Tunisia will hopefully offer another illustration of women's rights to the region.