Women's Empowerment and Leadership Development for Democratisation
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Aya Chebbi Gives Speech at UN Women's Celebratory Event for 20th Anniversary of Beijing Conference
Published Date:
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Source:
Proudly Tunisian
Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality, celebratory commemoration brought together top political actors, musical performances, high-powered speakers and celebrities including President of Liberia Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Academy Award-winning actress Patricia Arquette, Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio, global philanthropist Melinda Gates, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and actor-director from India Farhan Akhtar, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, and luminaries from politics, the arts, activism and philanthropy.
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Aya Chebbi is a Tunisian blogger and activist who participated in WELDD training on political participation training in Cairo in December 2013. She was invited to speak at the Planet 50-50 by 2030 event. Below is the transcript of her speech.
Honoured Guests,
Marhaba as we greet in Arabic.
I come from a region that is considered the most dangerous in the world; yet, in Tunisia we have successfully achieved considerable milestones in democracy and stability.
In 2010, we revolted for dignity and freedom. We were the spark of an uprising the world propagated as the Arab Spring. But we call it “the revolution of Dignity”. Young women like me took to the streets, unafraid to die. When I reflect on the past 4 years, I recognize the boldness of my generation to shape our destiny and that of future generations.
But who was behind our victory? It was the Tunisian people including Tunisian women who chose to be part of History… the history that had been steered towards depriving women equal opportunities and marginalizing the youth. We decided to re-write this history and make it right for the generations to come.
But there still are challenges. In Egypt, virginity tests are performed on female ‘protest’ detainees, a humiliating and terrorizing practice. In Syria, over 15,000 women have been killed by the Syrian regime to date and over 8,000 others subjected to sexual violence.
However, this is not our first struggle… it’s not our first victory. Women where I come from have been fighting patriarchy for more than a century, fighting for social change, equality and democracy for decades.
So, the world must respect our right to define our own struggles, in our own contexts, a context that has been affected by post-colonialism, Orientalism and Islamophobia.
Through the efforts and sacrifice of young women, our mark upon dignity and equality shall not go unrecognized; our experiences shall not go unnoticed.
Article 46 of Tunisia’s Constitution stands as an embodiment of the gains we have attained as women through civil action. We have conquered repressive laws and set our country upon the transformative values of equality and dignity.
Our generation of feminist movements in Africa and the Middle East, in conflict zones, and all parts of the world going through hard times, shall continue to be in the frontline. Even when we are set backward… even when many of our counterparts have fallen… we must set our countries upon a constitutional path of maturation and societal awareness of gender equality. Let’s continue the flight.
Shukran.
Thank you
Issue:
Political and Public Participation