Tunisia: President's speech against inheritance equality irritates civil society

Tunisian President Kaïs Saied (illustrative image). FETHI BELAID / AFP

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During the day of August 13, the President of the Republic delivered a speech that hit the mark. After supporting the social and economic rights of women, he spoke out against equality in inheritance. Her words were poorly received by civil society in Tunisia, especially feminist activists.

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With our correspondent in Tunis , Lilia Blaise

On the occasion of August 13, which celebrates the anniversary of the Personal Status Code in Tunisia, a legal corpus promulgated in 1956 and enshrining certain rights for women such as that of divorce or the abolition of polygamy, the president of the Republic Kaïs Saïed reiterated its position unfavorable to equality in inheritance , and already defended during its campaign for the presidential election. He declared that the Koranic text is "  clear and sufficient  " on this subject, since it enshrines the principle of justice before that of equality.

Currently, the woman inherits only half of a man's share, at the same degree of kinship, according to the law inspired by the sacred text. Kaïs Saïed also denounced a "  false debate  ", "  hardly innocent  " on the political level when equality had been introduced by his predecessor, the late Beji Caïd Essebssi, who had appointed, in 2017, a commission - the Colibe - , to 'a report on freedoms, then giving birth to a bill in favor of inheritance equality.

In a statement, the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women described Kaïs Saïed's speech as "  reactionary  ". The former deputy and president of Colibe, Bochra Bel Haj Hmida told RFI that she was not surprised by this conservative position of the president, but she said she was disappointed with a hollow and excessive populist speech, according to her words. A blow for feminist activists, especially since the bill on equality is still awaiting debate, in the drawers of Parliament.

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  • Tunisia
  • Kaïs Saïed
  • Womens rights

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