Tunisia remains one of the few predominantly Muslim countries to have banned polygamy. In current times, Tunisia is still one of the very few predominantly Islamic nations that has legally banned polygamy. The "exaggerated reactions against this series aim to make people think that everything related to the Muslim religion is retrograde," Nadia Abdelhak, a 28-year-old civil servant, told AFP. LIBRA & ARIES CONSULTING SH.P.K Tunisia became the first Arab state to formally abolish polygamy in 1956, the same year it gained official independence. He added however that "in my estimation, and according to my knowledge of the male gender to which I belong to, the opposite will happen because the crisis will be exacerbated by men looking for younger women, unless they accept marriage as an act of charity and kindness". Tunisia has some of the strongest womens rights laws in the Middle East. The strongly secular Free Destourian Party (PDL) founded by one-time members of Ben Ali's ruling party has been one of the loudest voices against "Baraa", saying that "putting these questions back on the table is out of the question" and an affront to women's dignity. Sociologist Foued Ghorbali said that while the subject remains taboo, polygamy is still an issue in Tunisia. TUNIS - A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago. Tunisia has some of the strongest women's rights laws in the Middle East. Lawyer and rights activist Radia al-Nasrawi alleged that a prominent member of the Islamic al-Nahda Party, whose name she refused to disclose, was already married to two women. "It's not the role of drama to present a positive image of society. The PDL also blames Ennahdha, politically dominant after the 2011 revolt, for a rise in "crimes" under the family code and has frequently called for its rival to be dissolved. Kurdish-controlled areas criminalize polygamy, "Tunisian women free to marry non-Muslims", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polygamy_in_Tunisia&oldid=1141521187, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 13:37. Since independence in 1956, the Tunisian state has been involved in legislation on the status of women in the family, denying women the right to vote for members of the National Constituent Assembly. He had a wife in Tunisia then married another in exile and brought her with him when he got back, Nasrawi said. Can you have 4 wives in Tunisia? The Personal Status Code passed in 1956 by late Tunisian President Habib Bourguiba prohibited polygamy, raised the age of marriage for girls to 17 years old, facilitated womens ability to obtain divorce in court, and banned forced marriages for minor girls. Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today. Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics. Both practices are punishable by up to a year in prison under the country's 1956 family code. Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Tunisian Moderate Association for Awareness and Reform, Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup trophy in Melbourne on January 30, 2023, after winning the Australian Open tennis tournament's mens' singles final against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas. A common expectation for African kings in African societies is for African kings to symbolically unify his kingdom and the society through partaking in polygamous marriages with wives from a broad range of clans within the society. (Photo by Aaref WATAD / AFP), China accuses US of flying 10 balloons over its airspace. As a result of the abuse or injury of one spouse by the other. In current times, Tunisia is still one of the very few predominantly Islamic nations that has legally banned polygamy, another notable nation being Turkey . Such controversies ought to be reflected in the arts, Ghorbali said. Tunisia was the first Arab state to officially abolish polygamy in 1956, [1] [2] the same year of its official independence. The practice was permitted in Islam and should be legalized if it deemed in the best interest of society, Elmi said, proposing Tunisias marriage laws be referred to courts for modification, under certain conditions. The Mufti, the national religious authority, delivers the Certificate of Conversion that must be presented to City Hall before a marriage can take place. Jouil added that many Tunisians happily discuss such issues in private but are angered when they are aired in public -- where commentators are "instrumentalising" the issue for political gain. In addition, 27% of the divorcees are aged below 36 years old. Algeria's considerably amended Code de la Famille (Family Code) and Morocco's new Moudawana (Family Law) (Articles 40-46) have both introduced . For the LDP, "these crimes" (polygamy and customary marriage, editor's note), punishable by one year's imprisonment, have reappeared in Tunisian society since the Islamist-inspired party Ennahdha came to power in 2011. The series, aired at prime time after observant Muslims break their daytime fast, has sparked a backlash on social media. Weekly A.I. "It's disappointing to see these subjects being debated," said Tunisian actress Mariem Ben Hussein. Djerbi considered calls to demonstrate against polygamy as a form of madness, a pathological phenomenon. This Tunisia-related article is a stub. The country banned polygamy as early as 1956, distinguishing itself from other Muslim-majority countries. Tunisia became the first Arab state to formally abolish polygamy in 1956,[1] the same year it gained official independence. It also changed the law so that divorce cases had to go through the courts, meaning a husband could no longer simply declare a marriage over. These include: Tunisia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); January 26, 2019 at 11:55 am | Published in: A Tunisian woman can be seen wearing the national flag on 13 August 2018 [FETHI BELAID/AFP/Getty Images]Tunisian, Tunisian union calls for another nationwide strike to press wage demands, Tunisia cabinet approves equal inheritance law, Tunisia women recount torture in 'transitional justice' trials. Tunisia became the first Arab state to formally abolish polygamy in 1956, the same year it gained official independence. Al-Zghal has stressed in previous press statements that the women will participate in the demonstration to express their anger at the failure of Tunisia to allow polygamy. It can show a point of view or phenomena in society that could be a subject of debate," he said. The CSP, enacted five months after the country's independence, is revolutionary legislation that granted Tunisian women rights unprecedented in the Arab world. "Talking about polygamy and orfi marriage doesn't threaten the gains that women have made," he told AFP. Read: Tunisian union calls for another nationwide strike to press wage demands. "It's disappointing to see these subjects being debated," said Tunisian actress Mariem Ben Hussein. The group has urged the country's broadcast regulator to take the programme off the air. In current times, Tunisia is still one of the very few predominantly Islamic nations that has legally banned polygamy. Tunisia is a unique example because, unlike Turkey's ban on polygyny (which stemmed from the secularisation of the legal system), Tunisian law was the first prohibition that used a fundamental Quranic precept in its legal reasoning. The justice ministry said courts examined 1,718 cases of orfi marriage between 2015 and 2020 in the country of 12 million people. [2] The abolition of the decree may not remove the cultural and traditional barriers women face when interfaith marriage in their families, but it now offers Tunisian women greater freedom of choice from a legal perspective. Tunisia's 2011 revolt, which overthrew Bourguiba's successor Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, brought in a parliamentary system ideologically divided between secularists and Islamist-leaning parties such as Ennahdha. Only civil marriage is recognised by law. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In most West African countries, polygamy is also recognised and regulated by the civil law that allows a man to marry up to four women under certain conditions, including the financial capacity to support multiple wives and families. Adel Elmi, head of the Tunisian Moderate Association for Awareness and Reform, formerly known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said in a Wednesday radio statement that marriage laws ought to be modified. According to an international study conducted in December, Tunisia ranked fourth in the Arab world and first in north Africa in the percentage of single women. Kurdish-controlled areas criminalize polygamy, "Tunisian women free to marry non-Muslims", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polygamy_in_Tunisia&oldid=1141521187, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 13:37. The significant role played by bitcoin for businesses! Turkey banned the practice in 1926, while the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq banned polygamy in 2008. Another activist, Raouf Al-Guizani, described this demand as "electoral begging" aimed at distorting Ennahda. The freedom of expression gained after the 2011 revolution even encouraged some to call for the return of polygamy, including a women`s collective that organized a protest in early 2018. 2023 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. The strongly secular Free Destourian Party (PDL) founded by one-time members of Ben Ali's ruling party has been one of the loudest voices against "Baraa", saying that "putting these questions back on the table is out of the question" and an affront to women's dignity. Divorce in Tunisia is a civil matter.At present the Code of Personal Status sets out three grounds for divorce: How long does it take to get married in Tunisia? Italian firm gears up to restart works on Total's Mozambique gas project, Burkina scraps 1961 military aid pact with France, 'Like a war zone': Greek train survivors recount chaos, Bears freed from illegal bile farm in Vietnam. Tunisia became the first Arab state to formally abolish polygamy in 1956, the same year it gained official independence. The Tunisian Ramadan TV series Baraa has sparked a backlash on social media. However, sociologist Salahuddin Ben Faraj does not see polygamy as the solution to the problem. This includes reviewing unfair divorce procedures and abolishing the principle of adoption because it is contrary to Sharia law. Women in Tunisia enjoy certain freedoms and rights that are denied to women in neighboring countries, although the social norms have shifted since 2011. Polygamy is a taboo issue in Tunisia and a crime punishable by law, under Article 18 of the Personal Status Code. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team. In his view, the controversy illustrates "a social hypocrisy", because "we agree to discuss these phenomena in private, among friends, but we get indignant and angry when they are mentioned in public". It also changed the law so that divorce cases had to go through the courts, meaning a husband could no longer simply declare a marriage over. Tunisia remains one of the few predominantly Muslim nations that has legally banned polygamy. But since the Islamic al-Nahda Party came to power in October elections last year, Tunisian womens rights organizations have been apprehensive about the possibility losing some of their rights. "Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticised by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state. According to the Muslim tradition, men can have up to four wives. Tunisia's 2011 revolt, which overthrew Bourguiba's successor Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, brought in a parliamentary system ideologically divided between secularists and Islamist-leaning parties such as Ennahdha. The news was announced by President of the Forum of Freedom and Citizenship, Fathi Al-Zghal, who confirmed that "the demonstration is spontaneous and comes within the framework of advocacy to solve the problem of spinsterhood in the country". Tunisia remains one of the few predominantly Muslim nations that has legally banned polygamy. TUNIS (AFP) - A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice decades ago . MCI (P) 076/10/2022, MCI (P) 077/10/2022. "Baraa" (Arabic for "innocence") has also been criticized by rights activists and secular politicians for its portrayal of customary "orfi" marriage, religious unions not sanctioned by the state. Any individual who engages in the union of marriage before the dissolution of their previous/current matrimony is sanctioned by one year of imprisonment and/or a fine, even if the first marriage or the new marriage were not contracted in accordance with the law. Try it for free and cancel anytime. Contents1 How many wives can [] Women-led anthology series 'Roar' , tells feminist fables https://t.co/WHRlDhWjIB. This document has abolished polygamy and repudiation, enabled women to ask for divorce, enacted a minimum age for marriage and ordered the consent of both spouses before marriage. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Secrets and Wives: The Hidden World of Mormon Polygamy at the best online prices at eBay! A shocking 82% of couples file for divorce within their first year of marriage, before the honeymoon period has even had chance to fade. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "Some Tunisians support customary marriage," he said. According to a recent report by Tunisias National Office for Family and Population, the country has one of the highest number of single women in the Arab world. In practice, a polygamous union is in most cases limited to two women per couple. Tunisia became the first Arab state to formally abolish polygamy in 1956, the same year it gained official independence. Tunis (AFP) - A Ramadan TV series dealing with polygamy has sparked a heated debate in Tunisia, an Arab pioneer in women's rights that banned the practice . Demographics . Some, mostly Salafi, preachers encouraged polygamy whereas others interpreted el-Tayeb's words as a call to reform the practice. After Islamist movements grew following the 2011 revolt, "religious marriage became more common" particularly among university students looking for "halal" sex, he added. For the LDP, these crimes (polygamy and habitual marriage, editor`s note), punishable by one year in prison, have resurfaced in Tunisian society since the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party came to power in 2011. You have reached your limit of subscriber-only articles this month. Summary about cost of living in Tunis, Tunisia: A single person estimated monthly costs are 400$ (1,116DT) without rent. The 1956 Code prohibits polygamy, makes divorce available to both spouses, gives women the right to manage their own property, and recognizes and protects other family-like rights. France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines, In one episode of the series, the main character declares to his wife and children that he has the right to marry a second woman under Islamic law, Polygamy was outlawed in Tunisia's family code, passed in 1956 just five months after independence from France, Rights groups say polygamy and customary marriage are "forms of violence against women" and that discussing them "normalises a culture of impunity". Broadcast on the private channel El Hiwar Ettounsi after the break of the fast since the beginning of Ramadan, the holy month of Muslims, the series has triggered controversy by addressing two practices prohibited by Tunisian law: polygamy and religious marriage called "orfi". 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polygamy in tunisia