FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Tunisia
Address
10, rue hollande1000 tunisTunisiaCountry
City
tunisStreet address 2
10, rue hollandeTelephone
+216 29180780Year of Establishment
2012Contact Person1
Mohamed MansouriJob Title 1
President of the associationContact Person 2
Ameni SaidaniJob Title 2
Project managerOrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
Human rightsGeneral Information
Ibsar Association is a Tunisian civil society association focused on empowering persons with disabilities, particularly in the areas of citizenship, culture, digital accessibility, and inclusion. The association operates with a small team of staff and collaborates with various partners across Tunisia and internationally. Ibsar's annual budgetary resources are project-dependent, supported by grants and partnerships with local and international entities. The association's funding primarily comes from non-governmental grants, international cooperation agencies and organizations. Ibsar's action modalities include implementing concrete projects, organizing workshops, seminars, as well as developing advocacy campaigns. Its key partners include the National Democratic Institute (NDI), United Nations Development Fund (UNDEF), UNESCO, Coopération de suisse en tunisie ... These partnerships help drive projects in the fields of election observation, digital rights, and accessible education and culture.
Mission and Objectives
The mission of Ibsar Association is to promote the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities "CRPD" and the Marrakesh Treaty, ensuring full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society. Ibsar focuses on empowering individuals with disabilities, advocating for their civic and political participation, and ensuring accessible information and infrastructure.
Objectives:
1. Advocate for the adoption and effective implementation of the international conventions to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.
2. Support and encourage persons with disabilities to engage in civic life, elections, and policy-making processes.
3.Work towards making public information, digital platforms, and infrastructure fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
4. Raise awareness and build capacities within civil society to ensure a more inclusive society for all.
Main Projects / Activities
Projects:
- With OXFAM: Collaboration aimed at empowering visually impaired women on sexual and reproductive rights.
- With UNESCO: Partnership to improve media coverage of disability-related issues and promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the media.
- With NDI (National Democratic Institute): Partnership to monitor election campaigns and ensure the electoral process is inclusive for persons with disabilities.
- With UNDP (United Nations Development Programme): Collaboration to empower women with disabilities in legal procedures.
- With IWATCH Organization: A project focused on building the capacities of people with disabilities and municipal actors to provide quality services that respect the rights and standards for persons with disabilities.
- With UNDEF (United Nations Democracy Fund): This project aims to establish a monitoring unit to track and report violence against persons with disabilities, with awareness-raising activities and policy recommendations to enhance their protection and security.
- With Deutsche Welle (DW): Advocacy campaign for a safer digital space for persons with disabilities, including the drafting of legislation to criminalize mockery and discrimination based on disability in online spaces.
Activities:
1. Ibsar has produced over 200 braille titles and more than 50 audio books, providing visually impaired individuals access to educational and cultural resources.
2. Since 2014, Ibsar introduced braille envelopes, enabling visually impaired voters to cast their ballots independently.
3. Ibsar played a key role in ensuring that laws were adopted to guarantee the inclusion of persons with disabilities in electoral processes, particularly during the 2018 municipal elections.
4. Ibsar monitored several electoral processes (2022 referendum, 2023 legislative elections, and 2024 presidential election) to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
Ibsar can play a pivotal role in enhancing the capacity of the Tunisian network by contributing through various avenues beyond training. By fostering collaboration among CSOs, Ibsar can facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise, ensuring a unified approach to advocating for the rights of persons with disabilities. This collaboration can include joint initiatives to develop accessible materials, such as braille publications, audio resources, and guidelines that reflect accessibility standards in public spaces and digital platforms. Additionally, Ibsar can engage in awareness-raising campaigns, leveraging its network to promote best practices and successful models for inclusion and accessibility in various sectors. By establishing partnerships Ibsar can influence policy development and implementation, ensuring that legal frameworks like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Marrakesh Treaty are effectively integrated into national legislation. Through these collective efforts, Ibsar aims to create a more inclusive environment where the rights of persons with disabilities are actively upheld, and accessibility is prioritized across all aspects of society.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
We want to join the ALF Network to collaborate with like-minded organizations committed to advancing human rights and promoting social inclusion. By being part of this network, we can share best practices, gain insights from others’ experiences, and strengthen our advocacy efforts. This collaboration will enhance our capacity to contribute to impactful projects and initiatives that foster inclusive policies and practices in my community.