Moreover, the freedom of speech that came with the end of Ben Ali's dictatorship allowed people in favour of such practices to openly say so. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. It has been connected with the chaotic state of affairs in the country. 04/12/22 AT 10:37 PM EDT. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Premi ESC per annullare. The series, aired at prime time after observant Muslims break their daytime fast, has sparked a backlash on social media. Meanwhile the Head of the National Union of Tunisian Women, Radhia Djerbi, said in a statement to Alkhaleej Online that the articles of the Personal Status Code were approved by the Tunisian Constitution and cannot be amended through protest. He added however that "in my estimation, and according to my knowledge of the male gender to which I belong to, the opposite will happen because the crisis will be exacerbated by men looking for younger women, unless they accept marriage as an act of charity and kindness". After Islamist movements grew following the 2011 revolt, "religious marriage became more common" particularly among university students looking for "halal" sex, he added. Weekly A.I. A shocking 82% of couples file for divorce within their first year of marriage, before the honeymoon period has even had chance to fade. He added that he also calls for a revision of all articles of the personal status law a set of laws that establish women`s rights and freedoms in Tunisia and not just the article on polygamy. Al-Zghal stressed in previous press releases that women would participate in the protest to express anger over Tunisia`s failure to allow polygamy. Polygamy is expressly prohibited under Tunisian law. Sociologist Foued Ghorbali said that while the subject remains taboo, polygamy is still an issue in Tunisia. "In Tunisia, some people are in favour of concubinage and others approve of customary marriage," adds Foued Ghorbali, for whom this controversy reflects "an ideological conflict between conservatives and those who present themselves as progressives. Prioritize your target industries for weekly review: We also offer team plans. The Personal Status Code passed in 1956 by late Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba prohibited polygamy, raised the age of marriage for girls to 17 years old, facilitated womens ability to obtain divorce in court, and banned forced marriages for minor girls. post-revolution initiative to cancel all laws that contradict Islamic principles. According to statistics from the Ministry of Justice, 1,718 "orfi" marriage cases were examined by the country's courts between 2015 and 2020. The calls for a demonstration have sparked debate about the issue of polygamy, which is rejected by the majority of Tunisians but supported by a minority on the pretext of following Sharia law. Demographics . Read: Tunisia cabinet approves equal inheritance law. Marriage may occur between: Foreign non-Muslim men and Tunisian Muslim women provided the man converts. Muslim Polygamy - Legal Information - Muslim Polygamy A Complete Ban on Polygamy A few Muslim-majority countries have completely outlawed polygamy. A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago. "Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticised by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state. Almost half of all university students are women. driven curation of top business stories accross 12 industries in the region. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines, In one episode of the series, the main character declares to his wife and children that he has the right to marry a second woman under Islamic law, Polygamy was outlawed in Tunisia's family code, passed in 1956 just five months after independence from France, Rights groups say polygamy and customary marriage are "forms of violence against women" and that discussing them "normalises a culture of impunity". He added that "the protest is not linked to any political entity and is not led by any associations". Ini Game Ending Paling Gila" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUvnmEXace4 --~--Many Demo Women Ask for Polygamy | Interes. "The role of drama is not to give a good image of society, it exposes a point of view or social issues that can be a subject of debate," he explains. It provides tools to debate social issues, "talk about polygamy or orfi marriage" but "in no way threatens the achievements of women", he told AFP. -Tunisia-Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-UAE. Keywords: Dynamics, Gender, Polygamy Law, Tunisia One of phenomenon were risen in the Muslim world in the 20 th century was the existence of the family law reforms which is In current times, Tunisia is still one of the very few predominantly Islamic nations that has legally banned polygamy, another notable nation being Turkey . Some, mostly Salafi, preachers encouraged polygamy whereas others interpreted el-Tayeb's words as a call to reform the practice. From hope to agony, what's left of the Arab Spring? 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Rights group Aswat Nissa ("Women's Voices") said polygamy and customary marriage were "forms of violence against women" and that discussing them "normalises a culture of impunity". Women in Tunisia enjoy certain freedoms and rights that are denied to women in neighboring countries, although the social norms have shifted since 2011. Turkey banned the practice in 1926, while the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq banned polygamy in 2008. The birth of a child in Tunisia is an important time in the life of the Tunisian family. The main. "Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticised by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state. Turkey banned the practice in 1926, while the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq banned polygamy in 2008. Foreigners wishing to engage in gainful employment require a residence permit (visa and residence permit). Post-independence leader Habib Bourguiba outlawed polygamy in the family code passed just five months after the country's 1956 independence from France, a piece of legislation that was nothing short of revolutionary in the Arab world at the time. A TV series on polygamy, broadcast during Ramadan, is sparking controversy in Tunisia, an Arab country that pioneered women`s rights, where several unions have been banned for decades. Any individual who engages in the union of marriage before the dissolution of their previous/current matrimony is sanctioned by one year of imprisonment and/or a fine, even if the first marriage or the new marriage were not contracted in accordance with the law. E-mail: info@libraearies.com site: www.libraearies.com. More women are graduating from university. You will get the updates within 24 hours. In practice, a polygamous union is in most cases limited to two women per couple. For the LDP, "these crimes" (polygamy and customary marriage, editor's note), punishable by one year's imprisonment, have reappeared in Tunisian society since the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha came to power in 2011. The justice ministry said courts examined 1,718 cases of orfi marriage between 2015 and 2020 in the country of 12 million people. Turkey banned the practice in 1926, while the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq banned polygamy in 2008. All done! Both practices are punishable by up to a year in prison under the country's 1956 family code. Lawyer and rights activist Radia al-Nasrawi alleged that a prominent member of the Islamic al-Nahda Party, whose name she refused to disclose, was already married to two women. Both practices are punishable by up to a year in prison under the country's 1956 family code. A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago. Do you think polygamy should be legalised in Tunisia? "Some Tunisians support customary marriage," he said. Rent in Tunis is, on average, 93.08% lower than in New York. According to an international study conducted in December, Tunisia ranked fourth in the Arab world and first in north Africa in the percentage of single women. "It's not the role of drama to present a positive image of society. But in one episode, the series' main character, Wannas, declares to his wife and children that he has the right to marry a second woman under Islamic law, which "trumps all other laws". "Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticised by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state. Sociologist Foued Ghorbali said that while the subject remains taboo, polygamy is still an issue in Tunisia. Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs. However, a group of women have taken to social media to call for a protest to be held in front of parliament to demand polygamy. Its supporters, such as Archbishop Gabriel Roric of the Reformed Episcopal Church (an Anglican denomination), however, maintain polygamy is a source of "African pride," saying those who opposed it were misguided by the western world's approaches to marriage. But sociologist Mohamed Jouil said the series does "not necessarily reflect Tunisian society". document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); January 26, 2019 at 11:55 am | Published in: A Tunisian woman can be seen wearing the national flag on 13 August 2018 [FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images]Tunisian, Tunisian union calls for another nationwide strike to press wage demands, Tunisia cabinet approves equal inheritance law, Tunisia women recount torture in 'transitional justice' trials. Women therefore had the right to have an abortion in an approved hospital within the first 12 weeks, could grant citizenship to their children with the husband`s consent, and married women had the right to adopt children. According to a recent report by Tunisias National Office for Family and Population, the country has one of the highest number of single women in the Arab world. Apr 13, 2022, 11:28 AM SGT. Copyright 2023 SPH Media Limited. Moreover, the freedom of speech that came with the end of Ben Ali's dictatorship allowed people in favour of such practices to openly say so. The main character of the series "Baraa" (Innocence), Wannas, beats a rosary and demands, from the third episode onwards, to be united with a second wife. The Personal Status Code passed in 1956 by late Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba prohibited polygamy, raised the age. A woman could contribute to the costs of a marriage if she could afford it, wives could cooperate with husbands in family affairs and child-rearing, and they automatically assumed guardianship of minor children in the event of the death of a husband. Tunis (AFP) - A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice . The series, aired at prime time after observant Muslims break their daytime fast, has sparked a backlash on social media. The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore. Adultery is a crime punishable by law for both spouses 7. dinars. It can show a point of view or phenomena in society that could be a subject of debate," he said. France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. Concise, actionable scenarios and predictions from top regional experts. Sociologist Foued Ghorbali said that while the subject remains taboo, polygamy remains a problem in Tunisia. Intimate in-person access to policy and business VIPs. Man with 39 wives, head of 'world's largest family', dies in India, Self-styled prophet in S'pore said to have five spiritual wives. The justice ministry said courts examined 1,718 cases of orfi marriage between 2015 and 2020 in the country of 12 million people. Tunisia remains one of the few predominantly Muslim nations that has legally banned polygamy. The PDL also blames Ennahdha, politically dominant after the 2011 revolt, for a rise in "crimes" under the family code and has frequently called for its rival to be dissolved. Read: Tunisian union calls for another nationwide strike to press wage demands. TUNIS: A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago. A group of Tunisian women have used social media sites to call for a protest demanding polygamy. A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago."Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticised by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state.Both practices are punishable by up to a year in . Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. This includes reviewing unfair divorce procedures and abolishing the principle of adoption because it is contrary to Sharia law. A number of activists believe the call for polygamy was motivated by political parties in order to target the Islamic Ennahda movement and distort its image before the upcoming elections. She claimed that it also indicates a lack of awareness among those who ask for it, adding that it will not affect the way of life of Tunisian society or the achievements of Tunisian women. . Rights group Aswat Nissa ("Women's Voices") said polygamy and customary marriage were "forms of violence against women" and that discussing them "normalises a culture of impunity". This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP), China accuses US of flying 10 balloons over its airspace. Such controversies ought to be reflected in the arts, Ghorbali said. For example, the first wife has to approve before her husband is allowed to remarry, he said. The strongly secular Free Destourian Party (PDL) founded by one-time members of Ben Ali's ruling party has been one of the loudest voices against "Baraa", saying that "putting these questions back on the table is out of the question" and an affront to women's dignity. Calls for protests have sparked a debate on the issue of polygamy, which is rejected by the majority of Tunisians but supported by a minority under the pretext of respecting Sharia law. But sociologist Mohamed Jouil said the series does "not necessarily reflect Tunisian society". Djerbi considered calls to demonstrate against polygamy as a form of madness, a pathological phenomenon. In early 2018, a group of women held a protest to demand the re-legalisation of polygamy. "It is out of the question to discuss these issues again", since the Personal Status Code (CSP), promulgated on 13 August 1956 by former president Habib Bourguiba, "has ruled on these practices", denounced the anti-Islamist Free Destourian Party (PDL) in a statement. In practice, judges give less than 5 years of imprisonment. In early 2018, a group of women held a protest to demand the re-legalisation of polygamy. 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