OHCHR in Tunisia

In January 2011, Tunisia became the first country in the MENA region to change its autocratic regime through a largely peaceful revolution, paving the way to the region-wide movement that has become known as the “Arab Spring.” Following this historic transformation, an assessment mission was rapidly dispatched to Tunisia by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The mission presented the Transitional Government of Tunisia with a number of recommendations on how OHCHR could assist national efforts in the establishment of an open and democratic society. On 13 July 2011, in response to the request by the Government of Tunisia, OHCHR established a Country Office with a full mandate to protect and promote human rights. The Office will be staffed with eleven national and 6 international staff.

 
The Tunisia Office programme focuses on three of OHCHR’s thematic priorities: (1) combating impunity and strengthening accountability, the rule of law, and democratic society; (2) pursuing economic, social and cultural rights and combating inequalities and poverty; and (3) increase ratification of international human rights mechanisms. The selection of these priority areas has been made while taking into account the preliminary assessment of the human rights situation by OHCHR and based on a more specific sector analysis and the assessment of the recommendations by human rights mechanisms such as the UN treaty bodies, the Human Rights Council’s special procedures and the Universal Periodic Review.

The Tunisia Office has been making an impact on the abovementioned thematic priorities during 2011 and 2012. Further, the Office is also working on a number of expected accomplishments and results for 2013 which include reforms of the national laws, policies and institutions; increased ratification of international human rights instruments and review of reservations; increased compliance and engagement by the country with UN human rights mechanisms and bodies; increased number of measures taken to improve access of discriminated groups and particularly women to justice and basic services; and increased use of the national protection systems by rights-holders, especially discriminated groups and particularly women.

Throughout its various activities, the Office is supporting the Tunisian authorities, civil society organizations (CSOs) and other relevant actors in the building of an effective national human rights protection system, including through the provision of technical cooperation, training, and advocacy. This role is undertaken with an inclusive approach that ensures the participation of all stakeholders, in close cooperation with the United Nations Country Team (UNCT). Whenever possible, the Office also aims to reach out to groups living and working in the country’s rural areas, which suffered severe marginalization in the past. Alongside much-needed capacity-building activities, the Office undertakes regular monitoring and reporting activities on a host of human rights issues. 
 

 
The Tunisia Office seeks to accomplish five main results: (1) increase compliance of the justice system, law enforcement, correction and prison administration with international human rights standards; (2) ensure that the Tunisian National Human Rights Institution is compliant with the Paris Principles; (3) support the establishment of a transitional justice mechanism in accordance with international human rights standards to monitor and investigate human rights violations and promote accountability; (4) strengthen national protection systems and support the development and monitoring of public policies for the protection of vulnerable groups including women, youth and migrants; and (5) ensure increased compliance of UN human rights mechanisms and bodies (UPR, Treaty Bodies, and Special Procedures).