The Tunisian association Voix de la Femme à Jemmel – VFJ undertook a project which seeks to enhance women’s capacities to become effective leaders and obtain decision-making positions at local level. This project is developed in partnership with the other members of the local cluster of gender equality actors© (Cycle 1) which was set up in 2016 following the mobilization action of gender equality actors at local level. It involved associations, local authorities, experts and media. 

Between September 2016 and June 2017, VFJ has identified 15 women willing to play a more active role in their municipalities and in the local elections. Some of them had been candidates to previous elections without success or are members of political parties. These women took part in several trainings on interpersonal communication, self-confidence, speaking in public, coaching and decision-making. Follow-up sessions of theses trainings were conducted further to evaluate the trainings’ impact. Some of the participants who had not been involved so far in local associations and syndicates, decided to engage proactively in public life. The change process also affected women’s lives at private level (behaviour, social status…).

On the other hand, 450 people attended cultural awareness-raising activities in Jemmel, including debates and distributing brochures and leaflets. The discussions were on the importance of having women in public life, as equal citizens as men -as it is stated in the Tunisian legislation- and how the traditional gender roles can be challenged. Women’s potential for developing their region and municipalities was highlighted. Outreach activities such as disseminating advertisements on the local radios were also realised.

This project follows the mission of the Foundation to encourage women’s empowerment. It is developed thanks to the support of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI) and in the framework of the project "Developing Women Empowerment" labelled by the Union for the Mediterranean.

For more information, make sure to check out the pdf file enclosed!