The defense of economic and social rights of vulnerable groups in the Monastir and Minier bassin regions The Tunisian revolution was prompted by the marginalised social class mobilising to claim their rights to a dignified life and the right to work. This revolution enabled Tunisia to transition toward a democracy devoted to the principles of participation in politics and freedom of expression. However, after more than a year after the revolution, Tunisia still faces the economic and social problems that were the main reason for the protests in December 2010, and people continue to feel excluded and frustrated. If nothing is to be done to enable Tunisians to freely express themselves and to translate their frustrations and legitimate demands, the peaceful transition toward a democratic state based on the rule of law will be threatened.
1. The people in Tunisia in vulnerable situations face structural unemployment, lack of transparency in the recruitment processes for the civil service and the public sector companies, poor working conditions, environmental pollution, poorly equipped regional hospitals, and other problems that deprive them from the acceptable living conditions necessary for full human rights realisation. Many of these problems are structural, giving the impression that large financial investments are needed to resolve them. This idea is nevertheless mistaken, and the human rights claims being discussed can be resolved if there is political will to effectively manage limited resources so that the whole society can benefit, rather than only the powerful few. Civil society facing this difficult political economic reality can empower themselves through a human rights-based approach, demonstrating that injustice is not inevitable, and to focus on who is responsible for solving the problems that hinder people from realising their human rights.
2. In Tunisia, the organisations and associations that exist respond to these problems through the advocacy and community organising skills that helped bring about the revolution. Post-revolution, a new approach is needed; an approach that takes uses the international human rights framework, to support their claims, and the legal system to claim them. ASF is working with the different sections of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social rights to strengthen their capacity to take on more cases, combining ASF’s expertise in human rights-based approach and the Forum’s experience in advocacy. This project is focused on defending human rights by ensuring that the legal structure is capable of protecting these rights.

Activities of the project:

- Training on the human rights-based approach; 
- Negotiations with those responsible on specific human rights issues; 
- Educate and train Forum personnel and members on methods used for collective defence of those people in vulnerable situations; 
- Forum takes on the cases of these vulnerable individuals; 
- Training of lawyers on economic and social rights; 
- Legal representation of certain cases by compensated lawyers.; Overall objective: 
- Reinforce social cohesion 
- Support the construction of a State that respect human rights 
- Reduce the number of social conflicts caused by economic and social exclusion

Specific objective: 
The Tunisian Forum for the Economic and Social Rights, in partnership with ASF, supports social inclusion of disadvantaged people in the regions of Monastir and Gafsa through the collective defense of their social and economic rights.

Expected impact:
- The Forum uses the human rights-based approach and concentrates its discourse on State human rights obligations; 
- The Forum sections support disadvantaged social groups in order to defend their economic and social rights; 
- People in vulnerable situations have access to legal recourse if negotiations fail.; - 65 members or employees of the Tunisian Forum for the Economic and Social Rights 
- 50 lawyers from the Monastir, Gafsa and the surrounding regions
- 720 vulnerable individuals from the Monastir and Gafsa region 
- 1650 disadvantaged people from the Monastir and Gafsa region whose economic and social rights were violated

In the Monastir region, the targeted group (the most populous one) will comprises women working in the textile industry. Of around 60,000 workers in the sector, 90% are women, only 8% belong to trade unions, and 50% come from impoverished regions of the country (Gafsa,
Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid) and live in extremely poor conditions in Monastir. The most commonly violated right the non-affiliation to the social security system (CNSS), failure to pay extra working hours, and working conditions that do not comply with the law guaranteeing a healthy environment. The majority of factories do not respect the Tunisian Labour Code.

In the Gafsa region, the priority group are the unemployed youth, the individuals who are directly or indirectly victims of corruption, and vulnerable workers. The four villages in the mining region: Mdile, Mdila, Redeyef, Metlaoui and Oumlares are priorities. The last census in 2004 counted 120,000 people in the 4 towns, with around 28% unemployment. While the rate is considered to have risen, there are no current available statistics. Gafsa has been isolated from the rest of the country, and there has been almost no investment in the region. The biggest employer is the Gafsa Phosphate Company, but the number of people working there has decreased over the years due to production chain automation.;