Disabled women protected by Tunisia’s new domestic violence shelters

Women with disabilities will now be protected by Tunisia’s new domestic violence shelters, a global newsroom dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and girls worldwide, reported on June 9th.

Tunisian civil society groups have launched a new initiative, backed by the UN, to support women with disabilities, More To Her Story reported. The action will see domestic violence shelters renovated, more staff members trained and a push for policy reforms within the Tunisian government. The action will also ensure that women with visual and hearing impairments will not be overlooked by shelter officials.

It is a scary truth that, globally, the most dangerous place for a women is in her home. Last year, a report by UN Women revealed that, out of the 80,000 women intentionally killed by men in 2023, 60% were killed by a male relative or friend.

In 2017, Tunisia launched anti-violence legislation “Law 58” to protect women from domestic violence. Despite being viewed as a regional leader for women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa, Tunisia’s women have slammed the system for failing protect the lives of women. Women with disabilities in particular, say they have long been neglected by the Tunisian rights system.

“We’ve waited long enough,” she added. “It’s time we were seen and heard.”

Almost half of the female population in Tunisia, approximately 47%, have experienced domestic violence, a report by Tunisia’s Ministry of Women revealed. While shelters for female survivors of domestic abuse have been opened across the country, disabled women often find the facilities lacking the infrastructure and resources to support them. Women with disabilities, particularly hearing or vision impairments, are disproportionately impacted by domestic abuse, according to a report published by the Centre of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR).

“They called me ‘the blind one.’ It was as if I had no right to dream of those things, simply because I was different,” Bouraouia El Akrebbi, the secretary general of the Tunisian Organisation for the Defence of Persons with Disabilities (OTDDPH), said.

Growing up, El Akrebbi said that she was regularly mocked and excluded by her peers during conversations about love and relationships. El Akrebbi has since become an advocate for women with disabilities, appealing policies and pushing ministries to change their codes to protect women with disabilities from the increasing threat of domestic abuse.

Tunisia has implemented laws that aim to provide disabled men and women with an equal access to education and healthcare. However, the CAWTAR study, backed by the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, also exposed how women with sensory disabilities are more vulnerable to violence, marginalisation and economic independence barriers. The study also concluded that there are stark differences in employment rates between men and women with disabilities.

One major threat, El Akrebbi said, was that women with disabilities frequently are not aware of their rights or the channels for reporting abuse.

The anti-violence legislation “does not account for our needs”, El Akrebbi said. “What use is a law if you can’t read it, hear it, or even know it exists?”