Tunisia

Paragraphs that mention volunteering

Paragraph 1, page 25

The cross-cutting nature of volunteering and the support provided by volunteer groups to the various development actors has helped integrate them around SDG 17 and has accelerated all the SDGs, including those identified as priorities for the 2021 Voluntary National Report, such as SDG 3 and SDG 10.

Paragraph 2, page 32

The cross-cutting nature of volunteering and the support provided by volunteer groups to the various development actors has helped integrate them around SDG 17 and has accelerated all the SDGs, including those identified as priorities for the 2021 Voluntary National Report, such as SDG 3 and SDG 10.

Paragraph 3, page 69

Pages 69-70:

5.2.3 The commitment of Tunisian volunteers: At a time when most sectors were stalled by the pandemic, the sector of civic engagement made its presence felt in efforts to control COVID-19. The spontaneous outpouring of solidarity from individuals and volunteer groups sped up awareness of the virus and the implementation of barrier measures, particularly at the regional and community levels. These ‘invisible’ actors were able to provide multifaceted mobilization, as illustrated by the following non-exhaustive examples: 1. The 240 local branches of the Tunisian Red Crescent (TRC), spread across the country’s 24 governorates, mobilized and trained 2,500 volunteers to support the implementation of the Government’s COVID-19 response, led by the Ministry of Health: 2.158 million people were made aware of the pandemic and 1.5 million had their forehead temperature taken. Support was provided for the start of the 2020–2021 school year through the disinfection of schools, the production of 2,000 masks for schoolchildren, the displaying of COVID-19 awareness-raising posters in schools, the distribution of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and the organization of psychological support for educators and students. In the context of preserving community health, the TRC installed 10 tents to triage people at risk at the entrance to hospitals and clinics. With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 6,000 single-use protective suits, 7,000 plastic protective suits, 3,000 sterile gloves, 150,000 cleaning gloves, 13,000 head coverings, 21,000 FFP2 masks for health workers and 600 litres of alcohol-based sanitizer were distributed. Similarly, 657,000 homes of people infected with COVID-19 were disinfected by TRC volunteers, in addition to daily disinfection operations of public facilities such as post offices, municipal offices, mosques, hospitals, banks and transportation (taxis, buses, trains, etc.). In terms of social assistance, 341,000 social packs were distributed as part of the TRC’s COVID-19 response, 85,000 meals were served, and 2,678 food vouchers were handed out to vulnerable migrants, among others. 2. The Tunisian Scouts distributed more than 80,000 social benefits to low-income families affected by the pandemic in the country’s 24 governorates in 2020. Sixty-one volunteers trained by the Ministry of Public Health provided support to residents quarantined in the eight national quarantine centres (disinfection, collection and washing of clothes, collection and destruction of potentially contaminated waste, distribution of disinfection kits, etc.). To support the distribution of public welfare to vulnerable groups, 1,774 scout volunteers monitored social distancing in post offices, banks and public institutions and 857 volunteers organized those travelling on public transport at stations around the country, limiting their number and distributing 43,000 protective masks, among other items. The collaboration between the scouts and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) around the COVID-19 response in 2020 achieved the following results: 3. The 63 United Nations volunteers supported the implementation of the COVID-19 mandate and response of the United Nations organizations, funds and programmes in Tunisia. Sixty-two percent of these were Tunisian, as part of national capacity-building through volunteering. This support involved mobilizing volunteers at the regional level, through partner civil society organizations, although the total number unfortunately remains unknown. 4. With the support of 25 French volunteers mobilized by France Volontaires and the financial support of Tunisians living abroad, Tunisian volunteers, associations in the governorate of Mahdia and Cultural Club Ali Belhouane launched the ‘Help your brother’ initiative to collect social support during the COVID-19 crisis. This helped 1,350 people/129 families and 16 sub-Saharan students living in the university hostel in Mahdia. 5. The volunteers mobilized in large numbers, as noted by the civil society organizations that benefited from their support. However, in the absence of measurable indicators monitored by public actors, it is difficult to measure their contribution and impact. They were present, nevertheless, as in Sidi Makhlouf, for example, where young people, together with local organizations, formed an COVID-19 Action Committee to inform stakeholders and help vulnerable people. Civic and solidarity actions took place despite the dangers these individuals ran due to the direct risk of contracting the virus, and also despite the lack of a specific legal framework for volunteering, which would enable access to a protected and recognized status.