L'Initiative Mawjoudin pour l'Egalité, known as Mawjoudin, meaning 'We Exist', is an officially registered NGO promote LGBTQI and equal rights for all in Tunisia. It was founded in 2014 by a group of young activists, feminists and LGB people, who were alarmed by the situation of the LGBTQI community in Tunisia and the restrictions put on bodily and sexual rights in the country.
Image credit: Mawjoudin.Mawjoudin is dedicated to building healthy and empowered LGBTQI communities in Tunisia, reducing heterosexism and homophobia in Tunisian society. Its objectives are to:
- Create spaces providing psychosocial support for victims of homophobia and violence.
- Provide a place for listening and sharing among community members.
- Provide training to the LGBTQI community to raise awareness of their rights and secure themselves.
- Advocate for the abolition of law 230 that criminalises homosexuality.
- Document and report on violations of the rights of LGBTQI persons.
- Promote human rights education as well as sexual rights and bodily rights in schools, high schools and universities.
- Psychological and medical support for Tunisian LGBTQI people, through a large network of psychotherapists, psychologists and doctors.
- Legal support and lobbying work in cases of discriminatory arrests and torture by the police based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
- Training and workshops for the LGBTQI community to empower it and to strengthen the network and the solidarity of the community.
As an organisation that works to reduce homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and sexism, Mawjoudin seeks to create peace between citizens, working to reduce hate and fear towards people from different sexual and cultural backgrounds.
By creating a common space where all the LGBTQI persons can feel more secure and at ease, it ultimately intends to consolidate the peacebuilding process in Tunisia and establish a more harmonious society. Mawjoudin believes that by teaching the values of understanding, tolerance and communion, it will strengthen the cause of peaceful living.
Read more about Mawjoudin on:
Afemena Tuniscope Inkyfada Nawaat 360 Yagg Liberation Middleeasteye
Follow Mawjoudin on twitter.
