_: The number of protests upped by 11% in March 2024 compared with February 2024, which saw 179 social protests, according to a report by the Tunisian Social Observatory under the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES).

Locals topped the list of protesters (27%), followed by wage earners (18%).

Protesters demanded better living conditions, as well as other fundamental rights such as the right to water, quality health services, better infrastructure, the supply of goods, price adjustments and a healthy environment.

Sit-ins were the most popular means of protest, with 76 sit-ins reported for a variety of reasons and demands.

Protest movements came second with 41, followed by recourse to the media (35 times).

Claims for the right to work and regularisation of employment status accounted for around 40% of all protests.

Workplaces were the main places where protests took place, with most sit-ins staged in administrative offices, followed by the media through distress calls by several actors ca
lling on officials to intervene.

Gafsa Phosphates Company ranked third, after having been in the lead for several consecutive months in terms of the number of recorded protests.

The map of reported protests revealed strong indicators of the return of thirst protests against water shortages (18% of reported protests). Most of these protests were due to the problem of sudden interruptions to the supply of drinking water, which continued in several districts and areas of the governorates of Gafsa and Nabeul for more than 24 consecutive hours, according to the same report.

The governorate of Gafsa saw 46 protests, the highest number in March, followed by the governorate of Tunis (45), Sousse (14) and Bizerte (13).

135 of the protests were staged in an organised manner, while the remainder were spontaneous.

March witnessed a single women’s protest in Mdhila, calling for the right to drinking water.

Protests calling for the criminalisation of normalisation with the Zionist entity and support for the Palestini
an cause continued throughout March, condemning the Zionist occupation and the genocide of the Palestinians.

Tunisian men and women carried on taking part in periodic rallies in huge numbers, the largest of which was on March 30 to observe Land Day, according to the report.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse