UNFPA TUNISIA EDITORIAL NEWSLETTER N 07 IN THIS ISSUE

Transcription

1 January - April 2016 UNFPA TUNISIA NEWSLETTER N 07 IN THIS ISSUE EDITORIAL SEXUAL AND REPRODUC- TIVE HEALTH - Towards accelerating the reduction of neonatal mortality in the Region GENDER EQUALITY - Tunisia represented at the CSW DOSSIER Promoting sexual and reproductive rights FOCUS ON The new development plan ( ) of tunisia A new year under the label of sustainable development 2016 marks the beginning of a new sustainable development program adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the Member States at the September 2015 session. The program includes 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) that different states, including Tunisia, committed to achieve. In this context and in the framework of its cooperation program in Tunisia, UNF- PA will work with the government, partners and other international organizations and United Nations agencies to directly reach some goals, including Goal 3 on health, Goal 4 on education and Goal 5 on gender equality, and contribute in various ways to the achievement of the other objectives. Like every year, you can find news from UNFPA and its partners in our newsletter. This issue features a focus on Tunisia s development plan for that reflects national commitments linked in particular to the SDGs; the participation of the Tunisian delegation to the CSW (Commission on the Status of Women); a dossier dedicated to reproductive rights and the activities organized as part of the Book Fair and information about the joint program on maternal and neonatal health. UNFPA team in Tunisia wishes you a pleasant reading! 1

2 SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Towards accelerating the reduction of neonatal mortality in the Region The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF) organized a Joint inter-country meeting of the national managers of maternal and child health: towards accelerating the reduction of neonatal mortality in the Region from 24 to 27 April 2016 in Amman, Jordan. A Tunisian delegation with representatives of the Ministry of Health, UNFPA and UNICEF attended the meeting. This workshop is a result of the achievements of the Regional Initiative on Saving the Lives of Mothers and Children and is in line with the United Nations global Strategy for women s, children s, and adolescent s health It is also in response to the recommendations of the Inter-country meeting of national maternal, neonatal and child health programme managers on addressing main causes of maternal, neonatal and child mortality held in This meeting focused on the need to strengthen strategic planning, implementation and measurement of the expected outcomes aimed at reaching related sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets. It was an opportunity to develop in depth understanding of the Every New-born Action Plan, share best practices and innovations, and identify required implementation steps at the country level including strengthening Midwifery practice in the region as a key strategy for improving mother and child health. It permitted to share with the national managers the latest updates and developments on the Global Strategy for Women s, Children s and Adolescent s Health, the Operational Framework, maternal, neonatal and child health target indicators, and the Global Financing Facility. Finally the participants discussed the implementation process of the reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health operational work plans: and identify areas that need to be further strengthened in line with the SDGs targets, including response to countries in emergency situations, and resource mobilization at all levels. GENDER EQUALITY Tunisia represented at the CSW A Tunisian delegation led by Ms. Samira Merai Friaa, Minister of Women, Family and Childhood, and supported by different international organizations including the European Union and UNFPA took part to the 60th session of the Commission on the status of women (CSW) held from 14 to 24 March A key event in the political agenda that helped to remember the importance of strengthening the rights of women at both the national and international levels The Commission on the Status of Women The Commission on the Status of Women was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 1946 and is the world s leading intergovernmental body dedicated exclusively to the promotion of gender equality and women s empowerment. The mandate of the Commission on the Status of Women includes the development of recommendations and reports in order to strengthen the women s rights in political, economic, social and educational fields. It also examines the women s rights issues that require immediate attention. 2

3 The 60th session of the CSW in the context of SDGs This year, the issues of CSW were particularly important in the context of the new sustainable development goals for which the Member States, including Tunisia, have committed to achieve 17 Sustainable Development Goals aiming at ending all forms of poverty, combating inequalities, tackling climate change and ensuring not to leave anyone out. The 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women has logically focused on «the women s Empowerment and the link with the sustainable development.» It was also an opportunity to assess the progress of the implementation of the conclusions reached by the fifty-seventh session (2013), about «the elimination and prevention from all forms of violence against women and girls «. Tunisia committed on the 5th goal Tunisia welcomed in its official declaration, the consecration of the principle of equality between women and men as a fundamental pillar for all the objectives of sustainable development program, especially those integrated into the fifth goal on gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. The Minister also reminded the active participation of Tunisia in the preparatory work for the development of this program and its objectives and outlined the ongoing activities related to gender equality in Tunisia. The country is indeed progressing on these issues, including on the fight against discrimination and violence against women and girls, gender mainstreaming and women s economic empowerment. More information : Page Facebook CSW: United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) DID YOU KNOW? VULNERABILITY FACTORS AMONG GIRLS AND BOYS VICTIMS OF COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN TUNISIA (Source: Qualitative study on vulnerabilities of sex workers in Tunisia to HIV - DSSB / UNFPA / SOAIDS - September 2015) The vulnerability factors among girls and boys victims of commercial sexual exploitation can be of three types: FACTORS LINKED TO THE FAMILY Parents poverty, social exclusion, weakness of family supervision and follow up, conflicting relationships with parents, being victim of domestic violence, lack of intra-family communication, etc. INDIVIDUAL FACTORS Expulsion or exclusion from school, juvenile pregnancy and maternity, psychological fragility and low self-esteem, etc. ENVIRONNEMENTAL FACTORS Life in a high-risk environment (street), negative peer pressure, limited access to SRH services, etc. For more information : 3

4 D O S S I E R PROMOTING SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS From March 25th to April 3rd, 2016, the 32nd edition of the Book Fair of Tunis gathered 14 national, regional and international NGOs that held an information stand on Human Rights. UNFPA was one of the exhibitors in that stand, and grasped the occasion to promote the concepts of gender equality, Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the right to access information and quality services. Several parallel activities were organized on a daily basis for the visitors of the Fair; Quizzes, café-debate, films and plays... giving everyone the opportunity to discover and rediscover Human Rights. UNFPA, Y-PEER Tunisia and Amnesty International, organized during this event a café-debate on Sexual and Reproductive Rights for young people in Tunisia, with the participation of civil society organizations, young students and visitors of the fair. (See article below). Information stand SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS FOR TUNISIAN YOUTH: REALITY AND EXPECTATIONS «None... I am enjoying all of my rights!» «Tell me what are those rights» «I do not know... but all of them!» Thus says the young man, staring at the ground, avoiding the look on his peers eyes, who are intrigued and amused. They know he only says that to avoid answering the moderator question: «What Sexual and Reproductive Rights are you claiming as a young Tunisian man?» On the first floor of the Book Fair, students, youth activists, NGO representatives and curious visitors of the fair, gathered to discuss sexual and reproductive rights: reality and expectations. The topic is introduced by a short movie produced by Tawhida Ben Cheikh Group entitled the story of a girl with no history. The discussion is then directed around the juridical protection of Sexual and Reproductive Rights (SRR). For secondary school students, it is unclear to see whether their rights are guaranteed or not. For them, the concept of Sexual and Reproductive Rights only means being sexually active. This restrictive definition triggers the discussion precisely on the definition of SRR, which includes a list of necessary and vital rights for every human being. This list includes: the right to non-discrimination and to equality, the right to non-violence, the right to life, the right to physical integrity and security, the right to privacy respect, the right to autonomy, the right to right recognition by law, the freedom to express choices, orientations, the right to health, right to education and information, the right to choose to marry, to have children and to decide the number and the spacing between births. These rights, according to all participants, even in the presence of a national legal framework (the Constitution) and international conventions, are not fully and equally guaranteed. Discussion on sexual and reproductive rights In my case, if Facebook wasn t invented, I would never have known a thing about puberty, there is no center where you can get the right information without being stigmatized and singled out,» says one of the teenagers about the right to access reliable updated information. «I wouldn t dare go to the gynecologist for a routine exam or to treat an infection; my family and neighbors will think I m not a virgin, and it would be a disaster» declares another. A series of screenshot questions from a Facebook page where young people seek answers is shown; one screenshot stand out: a person on Facebook asked «How can I get a condom» one of the commentator replied «Me I never use condoms it is better! «The debate ended on these questions that young people are posting anonymously on the web looking for a reliable answer; an answer that is not always guaranteed and can be dangerous sometimes. Oddly, everyone seems to agree only on one fact: Sexual and Reproductive rights are still a controversial topic on which the cultural heritage, individual perceptions and collective beliefs have great influence that can hinder people s access to vital services. 4

5 Focus on THE NEW DEVELOPMENT PLAN ( ) OF TUNISIA The new five-year development plan ( ) of Tunisia is currently being reviewed by the different ministries and once approved, will be submitted to the Assembly of the Representatives of the People. A good opportunity to focus on this new strategic vision of national development for the coming years. An innovative plan? The guidance note for the Strategic development Plan that has been submitted for review to a ministerial council could be considered as innovative regarding the approach adopted. Indeed, the guideline is the result of a work conducted by the different ministries, institutions, associations, experts and academicians in a participatory approach. According to figures provided by the Presidency of the Government, it was developed with the participation of around people at the regional and local level, and 6000 people at the central one. The context could also help in considering it as an innovative plan. Since the independence, Tunisia has opted for the planning of its economy and had twelve development plans, the last one covered the period After the 2011 revolution and the changes that have occurred and especially the political instability that has not allowed the continuation of this process, the development plan marks a new step as it is supposed to consecrate the principles of the new Constitution 2014 and the popular expectations. The main guidelines of the plan The guidance note is organized into three stages: a diagnosis of the development; a social project and an alternative development model; and the axes of development. Concerning the proposed development axes, a series of reforms aim to achieve a minimum growth rate of 4% against 1.5% during the period, to increase the per capita income from 8000 DT currently to DT in It also aims to create 400,000 jobs and reduce the unemployment rate to under 12% in Among these reforms are: - The establishment of rules of good governance and fight against corruption and the implementation of a series of major reforms in several fields of activities (administrative reform, the public companies sector, reform of the code of customs, investment, pensions reform, education, tax reform, etc..) - The diversification of the economy and its transition to a high content in employment economy, the promotion of investments, the improvement of the business climate and support to exportation; Extract of the guidance note - Ensure a greater representation of women in elected councils - Reduce/eliminate violence against women through the promulgation of the law against gender based violence and the development of a multi-sectoral system on GBV. - Increase women s participation rate in the labor market by strengthening their presence in decision-making positions and provide training / integration tools and specific incentives that can promote their initiative. Attention will be given to health services, including through the strengthening of the network and its accessibility. The plan focuses on the importance of continuity of health care and to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health services (SRH). The plan gets the public attention and despite some critics concerning the lack of innovation in content and business model, it defines a strategic vision of Tunisia for the next 5 years. - The development of human capital and social dialogue; - The achievement of the regional expectations by reducing the regional disparities - The green economy, pillar of sustainable development The SRH issues and gender equality The development plan also promotes gender equality through the effective participation of women in building the new societal model. It proposes to strengthen the protection and improvement of women s rights achievements aiming economic, social, political and cultural empowerment, by working on the following issues: Credit N. FAUQUE - UNFPA 5

6 Agenda - 4 May : Workshop on the vulnerabilities of sex workers in Tunisia - 5 May : International Day of the Midwife - 12 May : Publication of a newsletter and organization of a round table on violence in transport - 15 May : International Day of Families - 30 May 3 June : University of Public Health in Maghreb (Rabat) - 11 July : World Population Day - 12 August : International Youth Day - 13 August : Tunisian Women s Day Conception et Réalisation: OREA - Tél.: The United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, is an international development agency that plays a unique role with the United Nations system in promoting the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person s potential is fulfilled More Information : UNFPA Tunisie - 54, Av Tahar Ben Achour, Mutuelleville, 1082 Tunis Tel.: (216) / PHOTO CREDIT - S. Baraket / N. Fauqué / UNFPA Tunisie