Outcome TUN_D_8.1

In 2025, accountable institutions supported by a harmonized legislative framework and committed populations guarantee the strengthening of the rule of law, the protection of human rights and social cohesion and justice, especially for the most vulnerable, in accordance with international conventions and standards and in complementarity and interdependence with inclusive and sustainable development efforts. (UNSDCF Effect 2)

Significant progress was made into accountable institutions supported by a harmonized legislative framework through the establishment and operationalization of democratic institutions. The Ministry of Family, Women, Children and Elderly made significant progress in strengthening institutional mechanisms under the National Action Plan (NAP) 1325. Under its leadership, 28 stakeholders (government and civil society) developed Tunisia's second NAP on Women, Peace and Security, addressing critical areas such as gender needs in security sectors, women's participation in peacebuilding, and protection against gender-based violence (GBV) and climate change. The consultation workshops, organized by UN Women, have facilitated structured discussions that empowered participants to identify essential measures for enhancing women's roles in security and peace processes, ensuring their voices are integral to decision-making. In addition, the National Women’s Machinery, including key representatives from the Observatory for Combating Violence Against Women, strengthened the service provision for women survivors of violence. Tunisia's National Plan for Combating Violence Against Women was revised in light of a series of recommendations collected by 31 representatives from first-line services and civil society organizations on normative gaps, the need for financial support throughout for victims on the reintegration process, and the need for inclusive initiatives in care centres. The Plan also counts now with a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for VAWG. For that, UN Women held a strategic meeting with 26 representative s of line ministries responsible for the implementation of Law 58/2017 who were responsible for drafting the monitoring system , proposing actions such as real-time data collection and enhanced institutional responses. Finally, 13 VAWG centers increased their capacity to provide support for women survivors of psychological violence. The series of workshops organized by UN Women has significantly contributed to enhancing the effectiveness and accountability of justice and security actors in Tunisia. Finally, Tunisia’s Parliament of the People’s Representatives (ARP) adopted an important step toward more equalitarian care responsibilities during the revision of parental leave law. The law-making process was informed by evidence on the role of paternity leave towards equal distribution of care work among men and women and women's empowerment. In July 2024, UN Women organized an awareness-raising session with 36 parliamentarians to explore global best practices and lessons learned on paternity leave. The workshop focused on the socioeconomic benefits of men’s involvement in caregiving, sharing evidence from across the MENA region and beyond, to guide discussions on paternity leave provisions in Tunisia.

In 2025, accountable institutions supported by a harmonized legislative framework and committed populations guarantee the strengthening of the rule of law, the protection of human rights and social cohesion and justice, especially for the most vulnerable, in accordance with international conventions and standards and in complementarity and interdependence with inclusive and sustainable development efforts. (UNSDCF Effect 3)

Progress towards this outcome has been made. First, progress was made into accountable institutions supported by a harmonized legislative framework through the establishment and operationalization of democratic institutions and the effective implementation of the legislative framework being consolidated in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and international norms and conventions. 24 high-ranking officials in public administration from 19 governorates (13 women and 11 men) enhanced their skills in good governance, equal opportunities, and gender mainstreaming. They are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary for the effective application of gender-sensitive approaches in their professional sphere. In addition, progress towards Actions Plans aligned with the goals of the National Plan for Gender Integration and Institutionalization (PANIIG) has been made by key Ministries. The PANIIG focuses on establishing an accountability system eliminating all forms of discrimination and increasing the representation of women in decision-making bodies; on increasing women’s participation in key positions at various levels of governance; on the economic empowerment of women; on eliminating gender disparities and enhancing gender integration in Tunisia. UN Women supported this by organizing a series of workshops in collaboration with the Budget Management by Objectives units. Finally, 19 young Tunisians (10 men and 9 women) developed innovative solutions to create an inclusive digital public service during the Hackathon "EnaHack4Equality" in June 2023. Participants included students from the National Administration School (ENA), young scholars, members of the Code of Performance Strategy, and start-up enthusiasts. The event was a resounding success, highlighting the innovation and creativity of the participants in the context of gender equality and an inclusive digital public service. Second , progress towards the outcome was made as women enhanced their role in social cohesion, mediation, and peacebuilding through one institutional mechanism for citizen participation, social dialogue, accountability, transitional justice, and the prevention of violent extremism. Further, civil society and populations, especially the most vulnerable, strengthened their capacities to contribute to these mechanisms, at the national and territorial levels. Members of the Network of women promoters of peace and social cohesion in Tunisia from Kairouan, Gafsa, Jendouba, Gabes, Great Tunis, Beja, and Medenine increased their understanding in conflict analysis and mediation as part of the capacity-building sessions for the network. UN Women organized sessions on early warning, risk assessment, and conflict prevention. Progress toward the outcome was also made as systems and actors in the justice and security sectors strengthened and modernized their capacities for greater efficiency, accessibility, and accountability in accordance with the principles of the rule of law and international human rights law. F our governorates of Tunisia improved their crucial knowledge o the protection of the rights of women and girls. Governates now have access to research about the reality of sexual and reproductive rights, family life, violence against women, violence against women in political life, equality at work, the right to education, in addition to recommendations to improve the legal framework for the protection of the rights of women and improve the synergy of work with civil society organizations. UN Women contributed to this by conducting the research using a participatory approach. In addition, 22 focal points from key ministries increased their capacity on law 58-2017 on the elimination of violence against women and girls; 23 female presidents and vice presidents of care centers for women survivors of violence improved their capacities in the application of law 58 for legal mechanisms for the protection of women victims of violence and; 14 female workers from the National Observatory to fight violence against women, working on the green number 1899 for listening and guidance of women victims of violence increased their capacity on the legal framework for the application of law 58, the available mechanism to protect and orient women victim of violence. To achieve these results, UN Women organized capacity-building workshops, including in partnership with the national observatory to fight violence against women. Based on the results, the theory of change remains largely applicable.

In 2025, accountable institutions supported by a harmonized legislative framework and committed populations guarantee the strengthening of the rule of law, the protection of human rights and social cohesion and justice, especially for the most vulnerable, in accordance with international conventions and standards and in complementarity and interdependence with inclusive and sustainable development efforts. (UNSDCF Effect 3)

The outcome is on track. Progress was made towards a system of governance and rule of law that is in line with international legal frameworks, including CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women). First, the pool of qualified women willing to run for election, win and serve in elective office, has expanded in Tunisia. Some 175 potential women candidates for elections strengthened their skills in leadership, political communication, campaigning, and prevention of political and electoral violence, according to the final report of the 12 training sessions in which they participated. The principle ‘Leave No One Behind’ was at the heart of this training, with over 50% of participants identified as ‘youth’ (18-35) and over 10% identified as women with a disability. Over 50 women came from the most disadvantaged regions (Gafsa, Seliana Kef, Sidi Bouzid). Training reports revealed that all women intended to run for the next elections and 22 presented their candidacy for the 2022 parliamentarian elections, which represents 10% of the total number of women candidates. The women received leadership training from four civil society organizations (CSOs): the League of Tunisian Women Voters, Tunisian Federation of Maghrebi Women Leaders, Aswat Nisaa and Nouvelle Capsa. The four CSOs had received a “ training of trainers ” (ToT) from UN Women with tools (trainer manuals, workbooks, presentations) and curriculum developed by UN Women’s Leadership and Governance Section. Second, government and civil society have more resources available to promote gender equality through legal frameworks. Representatives from 49 institutions, including four (4) Government representatives (Head of Government Administration, Ministry of Family, Women, Children and Elderly (MFFEPA), Ministry of Justice, National Observatory for the Elimination of Violence against women), 30 from civil society, and six (6) from embassies (Canada, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, and European Union) have increased their awareness of legal discrimination against women and girls. They participated in the launch event of the “ Baseline Study on Inequalities and Discrimination against Women & Girls in Tunisian Legislation .” The report exposes the state of discriminatory laws at all levels, such as provisions on nationality and inheritance and includes recommendations to improve legislation, such as reform of the codes for nationality and personal status. UN Women Tunisia contributed through the 2021 development and 2022 dissemination of the report in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Research Centre for Documentation and Information Studies on Women . UN Women contributed to the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) draft report submitted to the expert committee for the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for Tunisia in November 2022. It contributed on gender equality matters and developed an advocacy brief for the UN Women Geneva Liaison Office on key women’s human rights issues to be included in the recommendations issued to the Government of Tunisia. The outcome of the UPR will be considered by the HRC in February 2023. Also, 21 CSOs under the leadership of ATFD (Tunisian Association of Democratic Women) developed and endorsed an annex (“note complémentaire”) to update the 2021 CEDAW shadow report. It includes 35 points on the political and socio-economic developments during 2021 and 2022 and recommendations. This will support advocacy work of Tunisian civil society representatives who meet with the CEDAW Committee in February 2023. UN Women contributed with technical support to ATFD for the shadow report and the annex. Progress towards the outcome was also made under the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325. Regarding the 2018-2020 National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCR 1325, a wide range of institutions now have a better understanding of the WPS agenda and the NAP. First, the MFFEPA and 22 members of the Steering Committee of the NAP (Ministries of Justice, Interior, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Health, Religious Affairs, Finance, Economy and Planification, Education, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sport) have increased their understanding of strengths and challenges of the first phase of the NAP and areas for improvement for the next phase. This was due to their involvement in the evaluation of the first phase of the NAP through evaluation interviews and in the presentation of the report in the presence of the MFFEPA Minister . According to the evaluation, the success of the next phase of the NAP depends on lead institutions taking the following steps: Establish a proper Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system; Maintain inter-ministerial connection and tap into synergies with other action plans; Conduct a cost analysis and dedicate adequate funding. 22 members of the Steering Committee (19 women/3 men) developed actionable recommendations for the next phase of the NAP in small working groups, which include: Sensitize ministers about the NAP in order to prioritize it in their respective budgets; Apply results-based management (RBM) for more realistic planning and periodic reviews; Engage the Ministry of Finance at an early stage and use gender-responsive budgeting. Second, 15 members of the Steering Committee improved their capacities in RBM in a four-day training on topics such as strategic planning, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure efficiency, transparency, and impact-level changes in the second phase NAP 1325. These results were captured in the workshop summary report. Steering Committee members requested this capacity development from UN Women. Third, 48 focal points (50% women) representing 24 governorates of Tunisia in the network of the National Commission for Countering Terrorism increased their awareness of the WPS agenda and gender-sensitivity in the prevention of violent extremism (PVE). During a workshop, they learned and exchanged information about gender mainstreaming and the linkage of WPS and PVE. Pre- and post-tests showed that they were convinced that global strategies for PVE must involve women as positive actors for prevention, and some recommended community-level safe spaces for women. Results in relation to the NAP were also achieved regarding committed populations. First, 34 participants (28 women/6 men) from CSOs from 11 diverse governorates working on a range of issues (women’s economic, vocational, and political empowerment; human rights; culture; and environment) have increased their awareness of the WPS agenda. According to workshop pre- and post-tests, participants are now able to relate the agenda’s distinct axes to their specific field of work. They participated in a four-day training about the role of civil society in WPS , including in developing, implementing, and monitoring the NAP. Second, 11 CSOs from six (6) diverse governorates improved their understanding of the role of civil society in the promotion of the WPS agenda and learned about the concepts and tools needed to plan and implement an effective advocacy strategy, including in the framework of the NAP. The 11 organizations had responded to a call for CSOs by the MFFEPA and UN Women ahead of the launch of the NAP’s second phase. UN Women contributed to these results through direct technical support to the MFFEPA, funding support and by providing the conceptual framework for these workshops and processes, including the international NAP evaluation consultant. The Government of Finland was the primary funder for the NAP-related results and contributed conceptually and logistically to events. Based on the progress made, the strategy and theory of change are still applicable. If this strategy is successful, impact-level changes in the lives of women and girls in the areas of WPS and full normative gender equality are expected within five (5) years.