Project in Tunisia about disability

The Tunisian Minister of Social Affairs, Khalil Zaouia, is visiting our country these days within the framework of the FIIAPP cooperation project for helping Tunisian persons with disabilities.

Khalil Zaouia has met with the Spanish Minister of Health, Social Services  & Equality, Ana Mato, and both ministers have agreed to strengthen collaboration in order to improve the areas of legislation, employment and education of people with disabilities in the Maghreb country.

This project has been implemented in Tunisia since January 2012, its beneficiary being the country’s Ministry of Social Affairs and which involves the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and the German Ministry of Labour & Social Affairs.

The programme seeks to improve Tunisia’s institutional strategic and regulatory framework regarding the integration of people with disabilities. The project includes developing a national strategy based on an action plan and a number of pilot projects in the field of labour integration.

Improvements in training are also included, particularly in relation to inclusive education, for these persons. Upon the specific request of Spain, two civil society representatives take part in the project as twinning members: Fundación ONCE and CERMI (Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disability).

Tunisia has a relatively well-developed disability care programme, as well as a Law supporting people with disabilities. However, public awareness problems exist and the corporate social responsibility sector has not yet been sufficiently developed.