Tunis — On the occasion of the celebration of the International Women's Day, a scientific workshop was held on Friday, at the Centre of Research, Studies, Documentation and Information on Women (CREDIF) on the theme "The Protection of Women under the International Humanitarian Law (IHL)".

The event was organized by the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) and the Tunisian Road Safety Association (ATPR).

Mrs. Néziha Zarrouk, a member of the Democratic Constitutional Rally (RCD) Political bureau and the deputy-Speaker of the Chamber of Advisors, stressed that the issue of women and international humanitarian law has experienced a remarkable progress in Arab countries, thanks to initiative of the First Lady, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, the Chairwoman of the Arab Women Organization (AWO) to create an Arab Commission for International Humanitarian Law.

Mrs. Zarrouk stressed that the major aim behind the promotion of women's condition in the Arab world is to guarantee to all women entirety of their rights as human beings and citizens.

Mrs. Sarra Hattab Basalah, Head of the Research and Studies Committee within the National Union of Tunisian Journalists (SNJT) and journalist at the Tunisian Official Press Agency (TAP), gave a lecture on the theme " the Protection of Women in War Time: Between Reality and Law", in which she defined the concept of international law and the protection it guarantees.

She also underlined the Tunisian experience in promoting women's condition in line with the political will to further materialize their rights and consolidate their position within the family and society as well as in public life and concurrently further relevant legislation so as to enable them to stand as an exemplary model on both regional and international levels.

The lecturer focused on Arab women's condition at war time and the acts of oppression, detention, vexation and humiliation faced notably by Palestinian and Iraqi women.

For her part, Mrs. Rafiaa ben Izzedine, the Chairwoman of the Legislative and Legal Committee at the Tunisian Road Safety Association, dealt in her lecture with "The Right to Life, Foundation of Human Rights" focusing on the concepts of right to life and physical integrity as inalienable rights.

Participants in the workshop stressed the need to hold a set of scientific workshops on international humanitarian law to support the initiative of Mrs. Leila Ben Ali to create the Arab Women Commission for International Humanitarian Law and so that the Commission will be a space for training specialized journalists in this sector.

During the meeting, participants highlighted the need to step up efforts to disseminate the culture of human rights, particularly the culture of international humanitarian law, enhance solidarity with Arab women, and particularly Palestinian women, and generalize the teaching of international humanitarian law in law faculties and the Institute of Press and Information Sciences.

They also underscored the role of media in preserving the country's legal gains, particularly those brought about by the Personal Status Code.