Tunisian bill proposes shared custody after divorce
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Businessnews
The International Organisation for the Protection of Mediterranean Children submitted a bill to Tunisia’s Assembly of the Representatives of the People on 14 October proposing the option of shared custody after divorce. A judge could favour it if the child’s best interests and circumstances justify it, without abolishing sole custody or automatically changing maintenance obligations, the organisation’s secretary-general, Hédi Chennaoui, told Diwan FM.
A bill submitted to Tunisia’s Assembly of the Representatives of the People on 14 October proposes allowing family court judges to favour shared custody after a separation when it is in the child’s best interests. The initiative is led by the International Organisation for the Protection of Mediterranean Children.
The bill would not automatically replace sole custody or remove maintenance obligations. It aims to give judges an additional option for arranging children’s care and preserving their ties with both parents.
Speaking on Diwan FM on Tuesday 20 October, the organisation’s secretary-general, Hédi Chennaoui, said the proposal responded to growing social concerns about the consequences of parental separation. He said public debate had prompted mixed reactions, including support, opposition and requests for clarification.
According to Hédi Chennaoui, although Tunisian legal principles do not explicitly distinguish between fathers and mothers, in practice courts have often awarded custody to mothers. He noted that this can reduce fathers’ participation in children’s daily lives and limit contact to periodic visits.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
