Tunisian Parliament approves law ending violence against women

The Tunisian Parliament passed a unanimous bill on Wednesday (146 out of 217 MPs) which protects women from violence. The new law, which will become effective six months after its publishing in the official gazette, aims to eliminate all forms of violence against women. It supports provision of victims with the necessary legal and psychological assistance and imposes specific programs incorporating the principles of humanitarian law and gender equality in the national curricula. The newly endorsed law also introduces amendments to Article 227-bis of the Criminal Code, including the abolition of a controversial provision which pardons rapists (non-violent sexual intercourse) if they married their victim (under 15 years of age). In her comment on the new bill, the minister of women, family and children, Naziha Laabidi, said she was proud with this landmark achievement. In her turn, MP Bushra Balhaj Hamida, welcomed the victorious adoption of the law, stressing that it recognizes the various forms of physical, moral and sexual violence against women. She pointed out that the spirit of said law proclaims that incidents of violence are no longer a private matter but a public and state affair. The proof, she added, is that relinquishing or dropping charges against offenders no longer trims legal proceedings. (Al Mustaqbal, July 28, 2017)

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