Tunis — Mrs. Bebia Bouhnak Chihi, Minister of Women, Family, Children and Elderly Affairs, chaired on Tuesday in Tunis the closing session of the Arab conference on "Fighting Violence against Women, a Consecration of Universal Values."

On the occasion, Mrs. Bebia Bouhnak Chihi stressed that fighting violence against women in Arab societies has become an irrevocable choice to set up a modern society rejecting all forms of marginalization, discrimination and violence, noting that the concept of gender-based violence concerned both women and men.

The Minister expressed satisfaction at the interest taken by Arab governmental structures and associations in fighting violence against women, which paves the way to break the wall of silence regarding this phenomenon.

Mrs. Bebia Bouhnak Chihi also remarked that President Ben Ali had ordered to work out a national strategy for the prevention of violence within the family and society, testifying to the importance granted by the State to women's protection.

Accordingly, she called for combating all forms of violence against women, an objective that the First Lady, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, Chairwoman of the Arab Women Organization, is endeavoring to fulfill by working out of an Arab strategy to fight violence against women.