Tunisia Just Passed a Historical Law to Protect Women Against Violence

History was made in Tunisia this Wednesday as the Country passed a new law  making all forms of violence against women illegal .

According to Global Citizen, "The landmark legislation follows decades of protest for women’s rights in the North African country.

The “Law on Eliminating Violence Against Women” is the first of its kind in Tunisia. The country had no prior legislation on the topic of violence against women, according to Human Rights Watch, a global research and advocacy organization for human rights.

Collectively, Human Rights Watch and other groups that advocate for women’s rights in Tunisia have campaigned for laws that protect women from violence for decades". 

The law criminalizes sexual harassment, domestic violence, and any physical, moral, sexual, or economic aggression toward women that has a damaging effect or causes suffering to women.

The law  also requires  government to provide domestic violence survivors with legal, medical, and mental health support

Human Rights Watch describes the  passage of the new law as a big step forward both for gender equality and protects the 47% of women who face violence in Tunisia.

According to Amna Guellali,Tunisia office director at Human Rights Watch"Tunisia’s new law provides women with the measures necessary to seek protection from acts of violence by their husbands, relatives, and others".

In the  new law, a woman can file a restraining order against an abusive husband without needing to file for divorce..

 

It is not Eureka yet!The legislation needs funding to support legal actions taken by women going forward.