Tunisia

THE TUNISIAN republic, located in northern Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, is a middle-income, moderately indebted nation. Some 7.6 percent of the population live below the poverty line and 13.8 percent are unemployed. Other than young people, unemployment has hit the textile industry hardest, and unions have organized hunger strikes to protest layoffs, which have left some employees without an adequate safety net. The Tunisian economy is diversified, and only 22 percent of the people are involved in agriculture. Other income-producing sectors include mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing. The Tunisian government is focused on further economic liberalization and reduction of the trade deficit.

At present, Tunisia is experiencing increasing demands for political openness. As a result, progressive social policies have raised the standard of living, although differences exist among regions. Anti-poverty measures have been a major part of Tunisia's reforms. In the 1960s, the poverty rate hovered in the 40 percent range. The Program of Assistance to Needy Families (PANF) has been credited with assisting 121,000 families and has been particularly helpful to single-mother families, who make up 53 percent of the program. Since 1993, the National Solidarity Fund has also helped tens of thousands of families by renovating primitive housing, supplying electricity, and updating plumbing to improve the quality of drinking water.

Tunisia also provides free medical care and food aid to disadvantaged groups. Even though the government provides assistance to the most disadvantaged groups, 7.6 percent ofthe population live on less than $2 a day. The poorest people live either in urban slums or in rural areas. Available resources are not distributed equally, and the poorest 20 percent live on 6 percent of income while the richest 20 percent claim 47.3 percent. Tunisia is ranked 39.8 on the Gini Index of Human Inequality.

The Tunisian population enjoys a life expectancy of 74.89 years and a median age of 27.29 years. Since 1980, life expectancy has increased by more than 12 years for males and by more than 13 years for females. Just over one-fourth of Tunisians are under the age of 14, and 6.6 percent have reached the age of 65. There is a 95.1 percent chance that a Tunisian will survive to the age of 40.

Tunisia's attention to stemming the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) has allowed the country to bypass the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is ravaging much of Africa. However, general health is threatened by improper disposal of toxic and hazardous waste. Tunisia has limited access to freshwater resources, and 20 percent of the population have no access to safe water. About 12 percent have no access to proper sanitation. In some areas, water may be polluted by raw sewage. As a result, Tunisians face a risk of contracting common diseases that are spread through contact with [Page 1078]infected water, food, and soil. Most of the population has access to medical care, and 80 percent are able to afford essential drugs.

The government has paid a good deal of attention to reducing infant mortality in recent years. Between 1970 and 2005, infant mortality decreased from 135 deaths per 1,000 live births to 24.77 per 1,000. During that same period, mortality rates for children under the age of 5 plummeted from 201 to 26. Overall, Tunisian children are healthy. Four percent of all children under 5 are malnourished, and only one percent are severely malnourished. Approximately 12 percent of under-5s suffer from moderate to severe stunting, and two percent experience moderate to severe wasting. The rate of childhood immunizations is high, with more than 90 percent of children from birth to 23 months old receiving essential vaccinations.

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