Tunisia women can now marry non-muslims

(BBC). A spokeswoman for President Beji Caid Essebsi made the announcement and congratulated women on gaining “The freedom to choose one’s spouse“. Until now, a non-Muslim man who wished to marry a Tunisian Muslim woman had to convert to Islam and submit a certificate of his conversion as proof. Men had no such restrictions. The new order comes into force immediately and couples are free to register their marriages at government offices.

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Tunisia, which is 99% Muslim and is also home to a Jewish, as well as a small Christian, minority and it is not entirely clear how the marriage restriction applied to them. The country is also viewed as one of the most progressive Arab countries in terms of women’s rights. In July, the Tunisian parliament also introduced a new law that abolished a clause that allowed rapists to escape any punishment if they married their victims. The country banned polygamy as far back as 1956, setting it apart from other Muslim-majority nations. However, women in Tunisia still face discrimination, particularly in matters of inheritance which still prioritises sons over daughters. The Tunisian Association of Democratic Women estimates that nearly 70% of Tunisian women are victims of abuse. Amnesty International reported last year that there were few signs to show that things had improved for women since the Arab Spring revolution in 2010.

A longer version of this report appeared on the BBC website

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