ZUHÛR EL-MEŞRIQÎ

Tunisia- Some surveys reveal that the marriage rate is declining in Tunisia. The main factor in this declining marriage rate is that women refuse to get married. Experts try to find out the reasons why women don’t want to get married. 

60 percent of people don’t want to get married

“60 percent of people don’t want to get married. This rate is more among women. The number of women, who don’t want to get married, increases to 1.3 million. There are 900,000 single women among 3 million women. According to the official data in Tunisia, the country ranks 4th out of the Arab countries having a declining marriage rate. If a solution isn’t found, there will be chaos in Tunisian society,” the National Office for Family and Population, Ministry of Public Health of Tunisia, said in a statement.

37-year-old Marwa Abbasi works as an interior designer in Bizerte city. Stating that she never refuses marriage, Marwa Abbasi said, “I dreamed of wearing the white wedding dress as every young girl. When I turned 25, my mother began to talk about how she wanted me to get married. She was looking for a way to get rid of me. I faced such pressure for a long time because I am the eldest daughter in the family. I faced such pressure until I came across a 30-year-old man named Ehmed. We planned to get married but two months later, I learned that he was actually married and had three children. I had a big shock. But I overcame this situation and returned to my normal life.” Marwa Abbasi is against Tunisian society that considers women only as mothers. “I believe in myself to achieve my dreams and overcome all difficulties. I don’t want to get married anymore. I want to be successful in my career. I am happy by reading books and working for associations supporting children.”

“Marriage is important for me”

33-year-old Fatima Samrani lives in Jendouba city of Tunisia. Her thought about marriage is different from the thought of Marwa Abbasi. Indicating that marriage is important for her, Fatima Samrani said, “I dream of having a family a day. I grew up in a small family consists of my parents and brother. I always want to have a large family.” Fatima Samrani thinks women should accept to get married, “Women need a person to support them.”

“Single women face social violence”

“Single women face social violence,” social activist Fatina Belaid told us, “the rate of educated girls is increasing in Tunisia. 60 percent of university students are girls. Tunisian women are open-minded and there are many feminist organizations defending women's rights. This situation has led to raising awareness of women. Women make good decisions.”

Sociologist Sabrine Agroudi pointed to the declining marriage rate among women and she compared the rate to the rate in the 1990s. “In the 1990s, girls had to drop out of school and get married due to the patriarchal mentality in society, “but today, women object to domestic violence and gender inequality. Many girls are educated now and they determine their fate.”