President of the National Union of Tunisian Women (UNFT) Radhia Jerbi pointed out that Law No. 58 of 2017 on the elimination of violence against women is "unfortunately" not adequately applied by the courts, due to a lack of supporting regulations. In a statement to TAP on the sidelines of the launch, in Bouhjar (governorate of Monastir), of the annual international campaign "16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence against Women and Girls," Jerbi said that the UNFT will present, during these UN days, a study which it had conducted in March 2023 on feminicide, its causes and its repercussions on families. The study revealed that most murders of women are committed by their spouses. Feminicide of mothers, sisters and fiancées comes second, notably for economic reasons. Public authorities, researchers and psychologists should study this phenomenon in more depth, said Jerbi, indicating that over 30 cases of murder of women had been recorded between January and March 2023. She added that combating a ll types of violence requires networking and collective action, because public institutions cannot succeed alone. The Union is endeavouring, she said, to reduce violence against women through economic empowerment, particularly for marginalised women and those living in rural areas. The UNFT recently inaugurated six new training centres in remote rural areas in the governorates of Tunis, Medenine, Jendouba and Monastir, Jerbi underlined, adding that the union had created a market to promote handicraft products and is currently working on the implementation of the second phase of the project for an online platform for selling handicraft products, launched last year. The Union is also endeavouring to eradicate illiteracy among women, and had equipped two literacy centres in the governorate of Medenine with chairs, tables and computers. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse