M. I. MYAGKOVA Post-graduate student of MGIMO (U) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Tunisia Keywords:, gender, feminism Gender inequality is one of the most acute problems in Arab society. Taking into account religious traditions and peculiarities, the situation of Arab women has been and, unfortunately, remains disadvantaged for many centuries. Representatives of the international community not only constantly draw the attention of the Arab authorities to the unequal status of women, but also insist on its speedy change. The only Arab country that has managed to create a working legislative framework and guarantee women equal rights with men is the Republic of Tunisia. THE BIRTH OF THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN TUNISIA Ideas about women's emancipation in Tunisia emerged during the colonial period under the influence of more developed European countries, primarily France. It is from Europe that many progressive views have leaked out. In the late 20s of the 20th century, emancipated women from aristocratic families appeared in Tunisia, and they were the first ones who decided to remove the veil. Since the 1920s, Muslim girls have been able to attend French primary schools and colleges. Further expansion of women's education followed the establishment by the French administration of special schools for Muslim girls, where teaching was conducted not only in French, but also in Arabic. In the capital, these innovations did not meet with much resistance, unlike in the province, where they were initially boycotted by the local population. By 1940, there were 3,700 female students in such educational institutions.1 Even the minimal access of the female population to education contributed to the gradual loosening of the traditional opinions that were ingrained in the minds of ordinary people that women do not need education. In the 1930s, the first feminist organizations appeared in Arab countries, and books on gender issues were published. For example, ... Read more