Citizenship, education and youth in Tunisia

As the Regional Manager for North Africa and Madagascar, I have the opportunity in my day to day work to build exceptional relationships with our local partners and to learn from them about the needs and aspirations of children.

On 2 April 2021, at the invitation of the Tunisian Forum for Youth Empowerment (TFYE), one of the partners of the PCV project, I had the opportunity to participate in the seminar of the education pole of the "Let's be active Tunisia" programme. This pole, "funded by the French Development Agency (AFD), is composed of more than 40 Tunisian civil society organisations and is co-led by TFYE.

The objective of the seminar was to:

strengthen the partnership between the Tunisian Ministry of Education and civil society
consolidate the crucial role of civil society in ensuring quality education and a flourishing school life for girls and boys in Tunisia.

During the two-day seminar, people representing civil society organisations, the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and the Ministry of Education shared their vision on strengthening the education system in Tunisia and the advocacy strategies to achieve their goals.

On a personal level, this participation was very enriching. I was impressed by the quality and diversity of the testimonies. Various issues were raised, such as the importance of greater inclusiveness in schools for children with disabilities, the creation of a citizen school based on human rights, gender equality in schools, equal opportunities for all students in different regions, the improvement of often outdated school infrastructure and the growing gap between private and public schools.

About the Tunisian Forum for Youth Empowerment (TFYE)

Created in the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution in 2011, TFYE’s mandate is to disseminate a culture of human rights, citizenship education and to support young people to better participate in the development process based on a participatory, inclusive and gendered approach. The Forum’s ambition is to contribute to the conception of a Tunisian society that is interested in youth affairs thanks to an approach that focuses on the self-development of a youth that has long been sidelined from public affairs and affected by strong socio-economic inequalities.

To overcome these barriers, and based on scientific methods and data, the TFYE deploys actions that aim to mentor young people, develop their capacities and improve their skills in order to participate effectively in the management of public affairs and in development.

With such ambition and commitment to young Tunisians, it is an honour to work with TFYE through the PCV project.The collaboration between IBCR and TFYE includes capacity building in advocacy and the development of innovative training tools for better child participation and knowledge on the rights of girls and boys.