International Family Day: Tunisia Unveils Comprehensive National Plan to Strengthen Family Cohesion
On the occasion of International Family Day, celebrated on May 15th, Tunisia's Minister of Women, Family, and Elderly Affairs, Asma Jabri, unveiled a comprehensive national plan in partnership with the Arab Family Organization. This strategic plan, spanning 2025-2035, aims to immunize society against socio-economic mutations through new legislative reforms, autonomy programs, and a pioneering project to prepare couples for marriage to curb the rising divorce rate.
Prioritizing Family in the Decade Ahead
The Tunisian government has made family a top priority for the coming decade. At the opening of a major scientific conference held at the ALECSO headquarters, Minister Jabri emphasized that the family issue has become crucial in the face of rapid and profound global changes threatening family balance.
Preserving Family Rights and Strengthening Family Cohesion
Recalling Article 12 of the Tunisian Constitution, which establishes the family as the basic cell of society and requires the state to protect it, Minister Jabri stated that preserving women's, children's, and elderly people's rights has become the central axis of public policies to build a better Tunisia.
National Action Plan for Family Cohesion 2025-2035
To translate these constitutional commitments, the Ministry has formalized the national strategic vision through the National Action Plan for Family Cohesion 2025-2035. This decade-long program aims to strengthen family resilience, making it the driving force of global development, by reinforcing intergenerational links through healthy education and dialogue culture.
Key Components of the Plan
The plan includes:
- Modern support and accompaniment mechanisms to help families face emerging challenges, whether economic, social, or climate-related.
- A deep revision and updating of family-related laws to ensure a balance between rights and duties.
- A "Plan Operational Preparation for Conjugate Life" to prepare couples for marriage, focusing on psychological, social, legal, and health skills to build a solid family foundation.
- A modernized program of positive parenting, encouraging parents to assume a joint active role from birth to stimulate child development around constructive values.
- Several socio-economic insertion programs directly designed to strengthen financial autonomy and protect children.
Family-Focused Platform and Services
To address modern challenges and protect family members from risky behaviors, the ministerial strategy is armed with technological tools and new-generation proximity infrastructure. The Ministry has launched a national digital platform dedicated to the family and plans to deploy three new multifunctional spaces in Souassi (Mahdia), Slatnia (Sidi Bouzid), and El Metouia (Gabès) to expand the coverage of family counseling and guidance centers.
Preparation for Couple Life
This initiative has received immediate and firm support from the Secretary-General of the Arab Family Organization, Hadiya Bahloul, who emphasized the strategic importance of this plan to qualify future couples. She highlighted that the absence of intellectual compatibility and shared values is a major cause of current marital conflicts.
Cooperation and Partnership
The success of a family does not depend solely on psychological preparation but requires a global support system, including economic, moral, and educational support. The Secretary-General announced the upcoming conclusion of a strategic cooperation agreement between the Arab Family Organization, the Ministry of Family, and the Ministry of Social Affairs in Tunisia to consolidate family stability mechanisms and unite all forces to protect and develop family capacities.
Conclusion
Tunisia's comprehensive national plan aims to strengthen family cohesion and resilience in the face of socio-economic mutations. By prioritizing family and implementing a range of initiatives, the government seeks to build a better future for all Tunisians.
