The legal rights and freedoms which Tunisian women enjoy are unparalleled in the Arab world. Yet just two generations ago they shared the disadvantaged status of women, which often characterizes Arab society.
The rapid and permanent change in the status of women owes much to the personal vision of former Habib Bourguiba and his ability to institute sustained, far-reaching reforms.
Among the first measures he took after Independence was the introduction of the Personal Status Code to improve the social position and treatment of women. This code stated the following : |