Human Trafficking in [Tunisia] [other countries]
Street Children in [Tunisia] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Tunisia] [other countries]
 

Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery

In the early years of the 21st Century - 2000 to 2010 gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Tunisia.htm

Republic of Tunisia Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia relative to the region. Tunisia will need to reach even higher growth levels to create sufficient employment opportunities for an already large number of unemployed as well as the growing population of university graduates. The challenges ahead include: privatizing industry, liberalizing the investment code to increase foreign investment, improving government efficiency, reducing the trade deficit, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in the impoverished south and west. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]

Tunisia is a source, destination, and possible transit country for small numbers of men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. Several Tunisian trafficking victims were identified during the reporting period in foreign locations; two women were rescued from forced prostitution in Jordan and three men from forced labor in Italy. Some Tunisian girls are trafficked within the country for domestic servitude. A 2008 survey of 130 domestic workers in the Greater Tunis region found that 52 percent were under the age of 16; twenty-three percent claimed to be victims of physical violence, and 11 percent of sexual violence. Ninety-nine percent indicated they had no work contracts and the majority received salaries below the minimum wage. These conditions are indicators of possible forced labor. - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June, 2009 [full country report]

CAUTION:  The following links have been culled from the web to illuminate the situation in Tunisia. Some of these links may lead to websites that present allegations that are unsubstantiated or even false.  No attempt has been made to validate their authenticity or to verify their content.

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Amnesty Web reality check

Internet Correspondent Chris Nuttall, BBC News, 5 February 1999

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/273218.stm

[accessed 1 January 2011]

Amnesty International has hit back at a fake site lauding the human rights achievements of Tunisia by creating a new Website to counter the claims. www.amnesty-tunisia.org has "nothing to do with Amnesty International," the new site says. "It was created by supporters of the Tunisian government in an attempt intentionally to mislead the public. "It is yet another example of the extent to which the Tunisian authorities are prepared to go in order to hide the reality of their human rights record.

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Human Rights Reports » 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

U.S. Dept of State Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 8, 2006

www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61700.htm

[accessed 1 January 2011]

TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS – The law prohibits trafficking in persons, and there were no reports that persons were trafficked to, from, or within the country.

In January 2004 the legislature approved amendments to the 1975 law on passports and travel documents. The law includes provisions for sentencing convicted traffickers to prison terms of 3 to 20 years, and fines of $67 thousand to $83 thousand (80 thousand to 100 thousand dinars). The amendments brought national law into conformance with the international protocol agreement on trafficking of persons. The government prepared to use provisions of the penal code to combat trafficking should the need arise. For example, traffickers could be prosecuted under laws prohibiting forced displacement of persons.

The Ministry of Interior and Local Development and the Ministry of Social Affairs, Solidarity and Tunisians Abroad were the agencies responsible for anti-trafficking efforts. Since trafficking was not deemed a problem, there were no specific government campaigns to prevent trafficking.

Freedom House Country Report - Political Rights: 7 Civil Liberties: 5 Status: Not Free

2009 Edition

www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2009&country=7721

[accessed 1 January 2011]

Human Rights Overview

Human Rights Watch

www.hrw.org/middle-eastn-africa/tunisia

[accessed 1 January 2011]

The Protection Project - Tunisia [DOC]

The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), The Johns Hopkins University

www.protectionproject.org/human_rights_reports/report_documents/tunisia.doc

[accessed 2009]

FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE TRAFFICKING INFRASTRUCTURE - Tunisia’s 800 miles (1,300 kilometers) of coastline facing Italy, combined with its proximity to Sicily and the rest of Italy, make it an ideal transit country for smuggling and trafficking in persons. Women and children make the dangerous journey across the Mediterranean believing that they will have better lives in Europe. The corruption of public officials in Tunisia also contributes to the trafficking infrastructure. United Nations and Tunisian police officers have been found to be involved in trafficking for prostitution.

FORMS OF TRAFFICKING - Victims are trafficked to and through Tunisia for purposes of prostitution and domestic labor. Commercial sex tourism exists in Tunisia, though little research has been devoted to uncovering the extent of the problem.

Commercial sexual exploitation of children - The situation in the Middle East/North Africa region

Summary based on the situation analysis written by Dr Najat M’jid for the Arab-African Forum against Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Rabat, Morocco, 24-26 October 2001 -- Source document (in French): Rapport sur la situation de l’exploitation sexuelle des enfants dans la région MENA, 10 septembre 2001

www.unicef.org/events/yokohama/backgound8.html

[accessed 1 January 2011]

SOME RESPONSES AND EXAMPLES OF ACTION AGAINST CSEC - In 1995, Tunisia introduced a Code for the Protection of Children, including a rapid reaction task force to intervene in emergencies, under the direction of the Family Judge, to ensure that the provisions of the Code are used.

Amnesty Web reality check

Internet Correspondent Chris Nuttall, BBC News, 5 February 1999

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/273218.stm

[accessed 1 January 2011]

Amnesty International has hit back at a fake site lauding the human rights achievements of Tunisia by creating a new Website to counter the claims. www.amnesty-tunisia.org has "nothing to do with Amnesty International," the new site says. "It was created by supporters of the Tunisian government in an attempt intentionally to mislead the public. "It is yet another example of the extent to which the Tunisian authorities are prepared to go in order to hide the reality of their human rights record.

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Human Trafficking in [Tunisia] [other countries]
Street Children in [Tunisia] [other countries]
Child Prostitution in [Tunisia] [other countries]