Tunisia – The Democratic Women’s Association rejects new draft constitution

Location: Tunis – Tunisia

Language: Arabic

Duration: 00:04:42

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Tunisia

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 19/07/ 2022

Storyline

The Democratic Women’s Association in Tunisia presented, during a press conference held in Tunis, a sociological human rights analysis of the new draft constitution submitted to referendum on July 25^th.

Activists in the association pointed out to several new, general concepts and expressions in the draft constitution that could risk the gains, rights and freedoms fought for by Tunisian civil society. They mentioned that the new draft constitution eliminates several bodies and institutions that guarantee collective and individual rights and freedoms.

Head of The Democratic Women’s Association, Naila Al-Zoghlami, confirmed that the association will participate in protest movements against the draft constitution in the context of civil coalition with several civil organizations. She added that the association recently filed a complaint with the administrative court to halt the electoral process.

Shotlist

Soundbite (Hafeeza Shuqair – University professor and feminist activist)

“We conducted a human rights and feminist analysis for the new draft constitution, which will be put to a referendum on July 25^th, and we believe it is a regression and restriction of all gains we fought for to be constitutionalized in the 2014 constitution. There are several terms and concepts in the text of the new draft constitution that are incomprehensible, such as ‘state society’ and ‘law society’, which could be problematic. For example, the meaning of the term ‘Islam purposes’ is unclear and therefore subject to interpretation by different sects, it could be adopted by the judicial system for its constitutional value and interpreted by the legislator accordingly. This could jeopardize the rights we fought for, the proposals we presented in the Personal Status Code, and the ratification of international agreements related to women’s rights and human rights. I conclude by saying that the new constitution eliminates constitutional bodies centralized in 2014 to guarantee rights and freedoms.”

Soundbite (Fathiya Al-Saeedi – Sociology professor and feminist activist)

“The word ‘the people’ reiterated in the constitution preamble is a reference to the populist discourse based on the term ‘the people’ as a word of mobilization more than anything else. This populist discourse is based on establishing social relations around a specific religious normative oratory record. At the same time, there is an identification between the president and the people, as he is the man of the people, according to Rozanvallon’s expression, or the man of the nation, who is above all authorities.”

Soundbite (Naela Al-Zoghlami – Head of The Democratic Women’s Association):

“We decided to file a complaint with the Administrative Court, where we submitted a petition to halt the electoral process, but we have not receive a response yet. We recently noticed that the Administrative Court no longer responds to these petitions and complaints. We are organizing a peaceful protest with civil coalitions and feminist activists, in order to fight for our rights and freedoms. It is unreasonable to have a referendum on our rights and freedoms that are supposed to be guaranteed by the civil state. A referendum is meant for specific situations such as choosing between presidential or parliamentary system, but it should not be for choosing to give up my rights. We want to develop and grow, we want to implement international agreements.”