To access the Policy Paper: Towards Effective Socio Economic Inclusion of LGBTQIA++ Individuals in Tunisia A Human Rights Based Approach
In Tunisia, individuals from the LGBTQIA++ community—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and all other gender identities or sexual orientation; face systemic and multidimensional exclusion, at the intersection of social, legal, and economic discrimination. This marginalization is beyond simply a matter of isolated cases of stigmatization or personal rejection: it is deeply rooted in social structures, state institutions, and current laws, particularly through Article 230 of the Penal Code which criminalizes same-sex relations. The consequences are dramatic and well-documented: difficulty or even impossibility of accessing formal employment, discrimination in workplaces, persistent obstacles to accessing professional training and entrepreneurial opportunities, almost total absence of social protection, and widespread family rejection. For many, these barriers translate into situations of extreme poverty, social isolation, and enduring marginalization. The unemployment rate, school dropout rate, and exclusion from economic circuits are significantly higher among LGBTQIA++ individuals than in the general population. A large number of them are hence forced to resort to the informal economy, with all the risks that entails: exploitation, violence, absence of rights, and exposure to police and legal repression. In this context, this policy breif aims to provide a rigorous assessment of the structural obstacles to the socio-economic empowerment of LGBTQIA++ individuals in Tunisia. It draws on both qualitative data (interviews, life narratives, field testimonies) and analyses from local and international organizations engaged in defending the rights of sexual and gender minorities. These voices, long invisible, are at the heart of the approach. Through their concrete experiences, a reality marked by constant fear, financial unstability, a feeling of abandonment, but also by resilience and collective initiatives to create safe and supportive spaces arise.
To access the Policy Paper: Towards Effective Socio Economic Inclusion of LGBTQIA++ Individuals in Tunisia A Human Rights Based Approach
