Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Training under the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment - Tunisia

Programme for the development of micro-enterprises

At the beginning of the 1990s, a programme for the development of micro-enterprises was established at the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment and placed under the management of the Tunisia Employment Agency. The Agency set up a programme office with its own services and units in local and regional employment offices that also serve to help women get information and guidance in building up their technical portfolios and gaining access to finance. The proportion of women benefiting from the programme rose from 18% in 1993 to 30.5% in 1997 in a variety of sectors, such as textiles, the food industry, leather and footwear, woodwork and services (Source: Report under the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination of Women, CEDAW/C/TUN/3-4, pp 127, para 639).

Rural Women

The Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment set up 13 centres for young rural women. The centres are located in rural areas and generally provide board and lodging. The centres also carry out training on enterprise development and management to encourage women to engage in entrepreneurship and set up micro-enterprises. Special teaching is made available to women who are illiterate or who have left school prematurely. The Ministry also provides technical and training assistance to the National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT) which has created centres specifically for women in rural and urban fringe areas that aim to establish women in their home regions and provide them with the technical skills and know-how to integrate themselves into the local economy.

Another partnership agreement was made between the Ministry for Vocational Training and Employment and the Tunisian Solidarity Union (UTSS) which enabled 60 young rural women to create micro-enterprises in livestock farming, market gardening and dressmaking. In addition, a system of micro-credit established in 1999 with the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (TBS) , provides a low-interest credit facility for non-governmental organisations, and provides economic opportunities for the young rural women who participated in these programmes.