Tunisia votes for gender equality in new charter

Tunisia’s national assembly voted on Monday to enshrine gender equality “without discrimination” in its draft constitution, a key step towards safeguarding the most liberal laws in the Arab world on women’s rights.

“All male and female citizens have the same rights and duties. They are equal before the law without discrimination,” states article 20 of the text, which was approved by 159 lawmakers out of the 169 who voted.

Tunisia has set itself a tight timetable for adopting the long-delayed new charter of January 14, the third anniversary of the overthrow of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in the popular revolt that sparked the Arab Spring.

Since the 1950s, when it gained independence from France, Tunisia has had the Arab world’s most progressive laws on women’s rights, although men remain privileged notably in the question of inheritance.

Some have accused the outgoing Islamist-led government of wanting to roll back those rights.

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Tunisia votes for gender equality in new charter