Strengthening human rights monitoring in Tunisia

An UNDEF project in Tunisia is working to train and support young human rights defenders, including persons with disabilities, to monitor and report on progress towards implementation of articles 29 and 30 of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Implemented by Ibsar pour le Loisir et la Culture des Non et Mal-Voyants (IBSAR), the project is working to increase capacity for monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities, increase accessibility to quality data and information on issues relevant to this population, and increase awareness of policy makers to influence better policy decisions for persons with disabilities. 

Last Summer, IBSAR completed its first training on national and international law regarding the rights of persons with disabilities. The participants will form a group of monitors that will ensure reporting in twelve governorates of six regions in Tunisia. After receiving verification, the reported data will be published on an online platform. This will allow IBSAR to prepare analytical and synthetic reports on the status of civil, political, and cultural rights of people with disabilities in the concerned governorates.

Currently, IBSAR is preparing for its second training on monitoring techniques, which will take place in November in the town of Hammamet in Nabeul Governorate. It is also completing the final phase of a base study on the rights of persons with disabilities. The first draft has been submitted by a designated expert and reviewed by the scientific committee of the project.