The Tawhida Ben Cheikh Group marked the fiftieth anniversary of the legalisation of abortion in Tunisia at a press conference in Tunis on Thursday. The conference focused on the challenges faced by Tunisian women in accessing sexual and reproductive health rights, in particular the right to abortion. Testimonies from girls and women shed light on the difficulties surrounding abortion in Tunisia. These challenges stem from the reluctance of doctors and paramedics and their lack of awareness of the current law on right to free abortion services, which are available in all public health facilities in Tunisia. Salma Hajri, coordinator of the Tawhida Ben Cheikh group, highlighted the role of midwives in certain situations, where they can discourage women from seeking abortions. She also highlighted the inadequate availability of contraceptive methods in some public clinics and hospitals. Hajri highlighted the lack of official statistics on abortion services, citing their opacity. She urged the government to collect up-to-date data on abortion and share it with civil society. For her part, Group President Hedia Belhaj warned of the shortage of contraceptives, including emergency contraception and medical abortion. She attributed this shortage to the deterioration of sexual and reproductive health services in Tunisia. Belhaj called for the removal of Article 214 from the penal code and its inclusion in the health code. She stressed the need for increased efforts to raise awareness among citizens and medical personnel about the importance of the right to abortion. She also called for campaigns to be launched to implement the law so that Tunisian women have equal access to quality health services without discrimination.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse