Manama: Girls in Tunisia make up about 60 per cent of the 370,000 students attending universities, a Tunisian minister has said.
"The Tunisian government has invested heavily in elevating the status of girls and women in the country where human resources are seen as the most important value for progress and development," Ali Chaouch, the minister of social affairs, solidarity and Tunisians abroad, told Gulf news in Manama where he paid a three-day visit.
"This figure is a genuine reflection of the success story of a country that has made relevant political choices about the status of women. The essential components of this success are a deep respect of human dignity and rights, social justice, a modern interpretation of Islam, the eradication of poverty, and the political, social and economic empowerment of women," he said.
Schooling
The pro-women policy provided for the comprehensive schooling of girls, a larger presence of women in the job market, and the development of mother and child healthcare programmes.
Since its independence in 1956, Tunisia has viewed education as one of the most important means to effect fundamental social reform and widespread education of girls was part of the crucial human-capital arguments.
"Today, thanks to the increased presence of women in all sectors of society, the notion of gender partnership has substantially advanced," Chaouch said.
The male/female ratio on campus confirms the country's advanced status in the education of girls. The percentage of female pupils in secondary and higher education has increased from 42.4 per cent and 36.7 per cent in 1986-87 to 53.3 per cent and 59 per cent in 2006-07.
Earlier this year, Leila Ben Ali, Tunisia's first lady, said that "women, through their competence, have a critical role to play in the development and modernisation process as new and bold ideas are explored to enhance the existing legislation and reinforce women's accomplishments."
"The consolidation of the status of women and their integration in the development progress of the nation can be achieved only when we regard their rights as an integral part of the citizenship rights. There is a genuine need to change mindsets and improve attitudes in order to launch a real partnership between men and women for the sake of the nation," she said.
By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief