Kef: The independent regional authority for elections (IRIE) in Kef received six candidacies for the regional and district council elections on Friday, in addition to the candidacy for the region's representative on the council of the first district, made up of Bizerte, Béja, Jendouba and Kef. President of the IRIE, Amor Yacoubi, told TAP that all the candidates, including one woman, had submitted their applications in accordance with the selection criteria. He added that the number of candidates could be increased after two other candidates told TAP of their intention to stand. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
OTDDPH says need to conduct accurate census of people with disabilities
Tunis: President of the Tunisian Organisation for the Defence of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (OTDDPH) Yosri Mazati called Friday for an accurate and detailed census of people with disabilities at the 13th General Census of Population and Dwellings in 2024. National statistics about people with disabilities are inaccurate, Mazati told TAP, as they are based on the number of disability card holders which does not match the real number of persons with disabilities. National statistics show persons with disabilities account for over 4% of the total population, while World Health Organisation (WHO)'s figures point to a rate of more than 15%. There is need to end this insconsistency by means of providing faultless data as part of the general census. These statistics would help take stock of the representativeness of persons with disabilties in their families. State agencies can thus allocate necessary budgets in health, education, economic empowerment, project funding and decision-making. Source: A gence Tunis Afrique Presse
Social peace in Tunisia depends on access to water (FTDES)
Tunis: On the occasion of World Water Day on Friday, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES) has published a note drawing attention to the seriousness of the situation in the country in this area due to the increasing difficulty of access to water, pointing out that social peace depends to a large extent on this commodity. The Forum points out that 397 protests demanding access to water were recorded in 2023 and that more than 650,000 people in Tunisia are still without water at home, many of them living in isolated rural areas. "12% of all educational institutions are completely without water, while 834 schools are served by water distribution companies which suffer from material and structural problems that lead to frequent interruptions in the water supply, according to the Forum. Some 128 primary schools do not have sanitary facilities, 74 of which are concentrated in the central-western governorates (Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan)". The lack of water has serious consequences for the health of the pupils, with the spread of viral hepatitis," the organisation notes. The FTDES also drew attention in its text to the exacerbation of climate change and the succession of years of drought, which have led to greater pressure on resources and the beginning of a new phase of water scarcity, especially as the population's share of water does not exceed 350 cubic metres per year per inhabitant. It pointed out that "water plays a vital role in ensuring food security" and that "the acute scarcity of this resource, coupled with the exacerbation of climate change and the frequency of extreme weather events, has adversely affected agricultural production and led to the loss of many foodstuffs used by Tunisians, warning against agricultural and economic policies that marginalise food security in general". Faced with this situation, the Forum called for water to be made available to all citizens on an equal basis and for this resource to be treated as part of an approach that respects human rights. In particular, it called for speeding up the revision of the draft Water Code, taking into account the proposals made by civil society in this area, and for the adoption of an effective policy for the mobilisation and storage of rainwater. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse
BNA Bank, Ministry of Family sign agreement on renovation of Ettadhamen Children’s complex
Tunis: A partnership agreement to implement a joint programme to develop and renovate the Children's Complex in Ettadhamen neighbourhood (Ariana Governorate) was signed on Friday, by Minister of Family, Women, Children and the Elderly, Amal Belhaj Moussa, and CEO of the Banque Nationale Agricole (BNA) Bank, Ahmed Ben Moulehem. Speaking to reporters, the minister said the renovation process, which will cost 500,000 dinars, is part of the bank's corporate social responsibility and will include the maintenance of the electricity network, the addition of a kitchen and the development of the outdoor and sports areas to enable the complex to provide attractive and quality services for children. She added that the complex will be ready next October to continue to receive children aged 6 to 16, noting that 60 children from disadvantaged families are currently benefiting from subsistence services and school supplies. Belhaj Moussa stressed that the redevelopment process is part of the Ministry's new vision to make the 105 children's complexes attractive to children and to protect them from various risks and dangers by providing educational, social and community activities and entertainment. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse