In Tunisia we work to create the space and opportunity for civil society organisations and political leaders to work together to address the challenges of the political transition. We believe that a strong and vibrant civil society is essential for ensuring a peaceful transition that responds to the needs of the Tunisian public. To this end we seek to strengthen the capacity of civil society to represent the interests of diverse groups at the political level.
We have been working in Tunisia since 2011, convening a cross section of civil society organisations in dialogue. This dialogue is aimed at identifying challenges to peaceful transition as well as ways in which civil society can work together with other actors to address them. In doing so we work to develop the capacities of political and civil society leaders, including youth and women’s organizations, to better understand and pursue their collective roles as peaceful advocates of their constituents’ interests.
To date International Alert has built a coalition of ten diverse civil society organisations from across Tunisia who meet regularly to debate transition challenges. In the coming months and years we will be expanding this network and seeking to strengthen core skills in dialogue, advocacy and conflict resolution.
CONTEXT
Tunisia sparked a series of uprisings in the Arab world that have become collectively known as ‘The Arab Spring’. It is now setting the standard for political transition in the Middle East and North Africa as other countries in the neighbourhood follow its lead to rewrite constitutions and establish new social contracts. In this sense the success of Tunisia’s political transition is of vital significance not only for its own citizens, but for the wider region.
Despite the progress made by Tunisia since the uprising in January 2011, many challenges remain. Unemployment has increased since the Ben Ali regime fell. The increasing frequency of strikes and clashes between the unemployed the state, between workers and business owners, between unions and employers and between the government and the unions is an indicator of rising frustrations with real and perceived injustice.
Two years after the ‘Arab Spring’, victims of the previous regime still await redress as discussions on transitional justice become mired in political disagreement. Without movement on this issue, it is unlikely that much needed reforms of the security and justice sector will take place.
Tunisia has also witnessed the emergence of new political parties and thousands of civil society organisations. These new parties and CSOs are seen by many as the vehicle for sustaining the newfound citizen’s voice. However, many lack the experience and capacity to be able to function effectively in a changing political and social arena.
