Related links: Tunisian Society Portal Main Social and Economic Indicators   SOCIAL SERVICES Social programs to combat poverty have led to a decrease in poverty and an improvement in the living standard and conditions of the population at large. The percentage of the population living below the poverty level has dropped from 33% in 1967 to 3.9% in 2005. Aside from appropriate interventions in all social fields, particularly those of education, health, housing and social protection, a number of special programs have been undertaken to combat poverty and unemployment. Some of these programs are specifically intended for poor segments of the population, and consist of assistance or direct subsidies and actions to create sources of income. Others are more preventive in nature, such as the social security programs, which make it possible to guarantee a minimum income. Some programs channel private and public funds towards disadvantaged segments of the population. Tunisia's National Solidarity Fund, also known in the country and around the world as the "26-26 Program" (after its postal account number),entered in the year 2000 its 8th and final year of activity with a record of achievements well beyond its pre-set objectives. The Fund, which collects voluntary donations from public and private institutions and individuals for the purpose of helping needy and isolated areas of the country, was created by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after impromptu visits he made to isolated areas, on December 8, 1992. Every year in Tunisia since then that date is celebrated as National Solidarity Day. At the end of the year 2000, the Fund served a total of 1,327 needy areas (often referred to in Tunisia as "shadow areas"). It also assisted 216, 594 families . During the 1993-2000 period, the fund was scheduled to allocate a total of 500 million dinars (about 420 million US dollars) to finance a variety of activities such as ensuring access to basic amenities (water, electricity and roads),building houses, schools, and health care centers, and creating more than 44 thousand jobs. By the end of 2001, the fund has spent some 587.884 million dinars helping 220.000 needy families. By 2004, 240,000 needy families had benefited from the Fund, this represents some 1,2 million inhabitants. During the same year, the number of houses built by the Fund was estimated at 6028. From the Fund's inception in 2001 to 2004 some 26,342 houses were built nationwide. So far, Tunisia's National Solidarity Fund has also financed 79 libraries, 297 computers, 100 playing grounds and 300 leisure spaces, all in remote rural areas. The "National Employment Fund" (or the "21-21 Fund") which was announced on October 10, 1999 for the purpose of mobilizing resources to create employment opportunities, and has been operational since January 1st, 2000, built upon the success of the National Solidarity Fund. Achievements ( 1993-2006) Number of target zones areas : 1817 Total number of beneficiary families : over 255,000 (about 1.7 milion citizens) Funds allocated : 857.365 million dinars Summary table of the Fund’s achievements (1993 – September 2007) Achievements Number Costs (MD) Housing (number of houses) 64,776 215.328 Improved houses 24,892     New houses 39,884 Roads and tracks (in kilometers) 4,492.6 226.897 Rehabilitation 885.4     Asphalting 3645.3 Electrification (number of families) 72,800 146.327 Electric energy 70,504 141.903 Solar energy 2,269 4.424 Drinking water (number of families) 83,891 109.021 Healthcare centers 140 6.277 New centers 137     Restorations 3 Education 133 4.030 New schools 110     Restorations 23 Other projects* 870 18.895 Maintenance of residential areas and leisure centers   2.200 Maintenance of schools and other educational institutions   4.000 Upgrading of special centers for the handicapped   1.000 Contribution to the financing of social houses in social housing program category1   2.000 Program of the renovation of social suburbs around Tunis and some big cities   22.000 Total   757.975 Income-source projects ** (number of beneficiaries) 61,471 87.890 Total   845.865 Contribution to the World Solidarity Fund   5.500 Contribution to the capital of the bank for the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises   5.000 Contribution to digital solidarity for low-income families   1.000 General Total   857.365 * Purification, fight against sand encroachment, creation of youth clubs, public showers, and environmental spaces. ** These projects concern the period between 1994 and 2000. The Fund's tasks were then taken over by the Tunisian Solidarity Bank, micro-credit associations and the National Employment Fund (21-21). International interest in the National solidarity Fund The achievements of the National Solidarity Fund have drawn the attention of international organizations and institutions. The Fund has, in fact, become a reference for many countries, as an effective mechanism to fight poverty and marginalization, and to promote social integration. The experience of the National Solidarity Fund has also constituted a practical ground from which His Excellency President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the Republic of Tunisia , launched, on September 7, 2000 during the Millennium Summit, his call to the international community for the creation of a World Solidarity Fund. This initiative won the unanimous approval of the international community and has already been brought into effect. International cooperation as part of the Fund's projects has been materialized in various ways: A number of countries have financed projects implemented as part of the Fund's interventions; A number of friendly countries have offered contributions in the form of equipments; The experience of tripartite cooperation has been launched; New files in the field of bilateral cooperation have been followed. International Cooperation Project financing by foreign countries Country Funds allocated Years of implementation Target zones Luxemburg 9,4 MD 1997-2005 Béja (5 zones) Bizerte (2) Kairouan (3) Belgium 8,2 MD 2000-2002 Le Kef (3) Jendouba (4)   Ongoing project As part of the Tunisian-Belgian cooperation, Belgium pursued its support to the National Solidarity Fund, by providing a new contribution amounting to 3.8 million Euros for the implementation of an Integrated Rural Development Project in a number of regions in the Governorates of Le Kef, Jendouba and Kasserine. Italy 2,9 MD since 1997 Gafsa Greece 0,15 MD 2005 Zaghouan Total 20,65 MD   7 governorates (18 zones) Contribution through equipments Country Contribution Funds (MD) China Granting 3 sets of computer and office equipments 1.2 MD (Computers, fax, video, and photocopy machines, and sports and leisure equipments) 1,2 MD USA Equipments : two trucks, a “trax” and medical equipments 0,25 MD UAE Two buses   TATRA Foundation (Czech Rep.) One bus 0,1 MD Total 1,55 MD The Fund's Contribution to international solidarity Country Activity Mali - Helping with the creation of the Malian Solidarity Fund and the Malian Solidarity Bank, - First meeting of the steering committee of the triangular cooperation project involving Tunisia , Mali and Luxemburg. - A Tunisian expert was sent to Mali for two years. - Second meeting of the steering committee held on June 29, 2006 in Bamako, Mali. Senegal - Visit to Tunisia of President Wade, followed by the visit of the Senegalese Minister of Social Action and Solidarity - Concluding a cooperation agreement between the Fund and the Senegalese Ministry of Social Action, providing for the exchange of expertise in the field of poverty eradication - Creating a solidarity fund in Senegal , with the support of the National Solidarity Fund. Burkina Faso - The secretary general of the Burkina Faso solidarity fund visited, in November 2001, the 26-26 Fund where he took cognizance of its work methods and mechanisms. The Tunisian experience in terms of social development, poverty eradication and family integration, has drawn the attention of several other developing countries, including Cameroon , Côte d'Ivoire , South Africa and Yemen , which expressed their desire to benefit from the Tunisian experience and to establish similar mechanisms. * Source : www.26-26.org. Another source of support for low-income families was the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS), which was launched about two years ago by President Ben Ali for the purpose of widening the network of mutual help within society and promoting the entrepreneurial spirit among the country's younger generations. Established on December 22, 1997, the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (BTS) finances micro-projects for those people who would not normally qualify for a loan from commercial banks (because of their lack of assets or collateral). Men and women are eligible to apply for a loan with a maximum annual interest rate of 5 percent, and a flexible grace period of 3 to 12 months. Reimbursement of the loan can be from 18 months to 7 years. Among other programs providing social services are: The National Program to assist Limited-Income Families. In 1999, about 34 million dollars were allocated to this program, thus helping some 114.000 families.In 2004 on the occasion of religious holiday 360.000 families have benefitted from this program. In an address to the nation on the occasion of the 58th anniversary of the universal declaration of Human Rights, President Ben Ali stressed his "strong belief that work is a basic foundation of human rights, upon which we focus the efforts of the State". He pledged to "open up more employment prospects for university graduates from the neediest families so that they can constitute the best support for their families". He announced measures destined to "insuring a steady income to these families. Where non of the children, whether university graduates or not, has so far joined the world of work and production" by setting up a " special program within the public sector, to offer an employment to one or more of these children" by the end of 2007. The Social Defense and Integration Program, which aims at strengthening the family structure as the basic unit of society, and ensuring the rehabilitation and social integration of juvenile delinquents. The program also includes a special fund for the payment of alimony for divorcees and their children. Child Care Programs. Special attention is given to foster-family and adoptive children as well as children of divorced or poor parents. The recently-adopted Code for the Protection of Children ensures the rights of the child. Fighting Illiteracy. A national plan has been drafted to totally eliminate illiteracy between the ages of 15 and 45 by the year 2006. A special priority is given to fighting female and rural illiteracy. by comparison with 46.2% in 1994, the illiteracy rate went down to 21.9in 2005. Care for Senior Citizens. It includes the allocation of direct financial benefits, the creation of medical home-care units as well as public nursing homes and health clinics. Care for the Handicapped : between 1999 and 2004, special budgets have been invested in projects destined to promote to care for the handicapped. These programs consist of direct assistance, projects to create sources of income and action to ensure the rehabilitation of the handicapped. Practical measures have been enforced to facilitate access of the handicapped to public buildings, sidewalks and public spaces. Businesses of 100 employees or more have been mandated by law to reserve a 1 % recruitment quota for the handicapped. Source: Ministry of Social Affairs (2006) Social Security - Improvement of the real rate of social protection which increased from 2005, 83.86% of the population in 1999 to reach 86%, the population in 2003. - Improvement of the services rendered to the contributors to social security structures to the materialisation of the state policy in the economic and social fields. See also the National Pension and Security Fund (CNRPS) website (Ar and FR) Labor and professional relations: - Promotion of social dialogue within the enterprises - Periodical revision of sectorial collective conventions - Improvement of productivity - Setting up of a triennial program aiming at increasing salaries at four times (90-92), (93-95), (96-98), and 2002-2004. - Regular increase of lowest salaries (SMIG and SMAG) between 1987 and 2004 the SMIG rose by 108% and the SMAG by 120%. - Adaptation and development of labor legislation (revision of the labor code in 1994 and 1996 more particularly in matter of workers representation in the enterprise, working contracts, resolution of collective conflicts, remuneration, health and security at work). - Reinforcement of social peace, thanks to the strict respect of labor legislation and conciliation in case of collective and individual labor conflicts. - Reinforcement of the prevention against professional risks thanks to the development of occupational medicine and the broadening of protection through health structures and labor security.