Tunisia is once again positioning itself at the forefront of women’s rights in the Arab world, this time through a proposed bill aimed at establishing an equitable division of domestic responsibilities between spouses.
The initiative reflects a deliberate effort to translate gender equality from law into daily household practice.
The Tunisian parliament is currently reviewing the legislation, which seeks to dismantle long-standing gender stereotypes that have traditionally confined women to household chores while excluding fathers from child-rearing.
MP Youssef Tarchoun, who outlined the initiative on Jawhara FM, emphasized the societal need to challenge these entrenched perceptions.
“Working women have similar responsibilities to men, so it is necessary to change this mentality through education and the media,” Tarchoun stated. He highlighted the continued presence of school textbook illustrations that associate women primarily with cooking while erasing fathers from domestic roles.
According to the MP, encouraging fathers to actively participate in family life represents “a form of social justice” and requires revising educational materials as well as cultural norms.
This legislative proposal builds on Tunisia’s recent advances in gender equality. Tarchoun cited the law enacted last year granting both maternity and paternity leave as a notable milestone, extending the progressive legacy of Tunisia’s 1956 Personal Status Code, which laid the foundation for women’s rights in the country.
If adopted, the new bill would legally formalize family co-responsibility, ensuring that the principles of equality are reflected in daily life rather than remaining aspirational ideals. Experts suggest the measure could also serve as a model for other Arab nations seeking to modernize household norms and promote social equity.
Observers note that the initiative not only addresses domestic fairness but also aims to shift cultural perceptions, signaling a broader transformation in Tunisian society where equality is increasingly seen as a shared responsibility rather than a women’s issue alone.
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