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Thirty women from UNI's Tunisian Women´s Network and UNI Europa's Women´s Network from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Monaco joined the Tunisian trade union centre UGTT in the heart of Tunisia on March 8 to commemorate International Women´s Day in Tunis, where democratic reform processes are underway.



The women celebrated the election of Hayet Trabelsi as General Secretary of the Professionals and Services Sector at the UGTT. She is the first woman elected in the UGTT and she said she will open the door for more and more women.



The discussion among UNI Africa and UNI Europa women´s networks focused on the new situation for women in Tunisia after the revolution. As well, the women launched UNI's International Women´s Day Campaign "That´s Why!" The objective of this campaign is to encourage women to participate in the trade union movement and show how the action can produce real changes in their lives, like it has for women in Tunisia.



The following day, the women´s delegation had a meeting with the Minister of Social Affairs, Khalil Zaouia, who gave his support to the struggle for equality. He gave his support for the International Women´s Day Campaign and signed the UNI 40for40 campaign declaration to support equality in trade union structures.



The women's delegation also met with the Minister of Women, Sihem Badi. Minister Badi celebrated Trabelsi's election and she showed a strong commitment to improving women´s rights in Tunisia.



March 8, 2012, was the first International Women´s day in a new democracy in Tunisia following the revolution. Women from Europe were there in the name of sisterhood to build side by side a more equitable global society.

Minister of Women: Ms. Badi Sihem (in the center) with the banner

When Tunisian women asked about the rumours that the government would retreat from the improvements made to the rights of women, the Minister said: "That can not happen anymore in Tunisia, if the rights of women reduce, we would be committing a political suicide"