illnesses. Free health care is effective for children and for all individuals whose paucity of income may constitute an obstacle for accessing health care. The Right to Solidarity 46. Since the significant reform of the 1st June 2002, solidarity has from henceforth become a constitutional value. Article 5 (paragraph 3) of the Tunisian fundamental law stipulates that « the State and society are striving to firmly implant the values of solidarity, mutual assistance and tolerance among individuals, groups and generations ». 47. The creation of the National Solidarity Fund (NSF) in 1992, of the Tunisian Solidarity Bank (TSB) in 1997 and of the National Fund for Employment (NFE) in 1999 enabled a large number of families and destitute Tunisian citizens, who are excluded from social interaction, to regain their dignity and become subjects of history. Interdependent citizenship takes its place within a global and developing perspective, and gives each one the opportunity to find a mode of effective participation, a citizenship within the society. It brings out a right to democracy, to political participation. 48. Effective solidarity is not humiliating assistantship. It requires that society gives to each individual the means of deciding one’s life, of mastering one’s future, of gaining access to education, to stable and qualified employment, to culture, to efficient social security, to shelter, to a decent retirement. The objective of the NSF, of the TSB and of the NFE is to make the respect for human rights a reality for everybody in our country; that everything be done to allow all to live in dignity. It is the responsibility of the State and of society towards all the citizens. 49. In May 2006, Tunisia enjoyed considerable international recognition through its election by 172 votes to the new Human Rights Council. This election is testimony of the respect that the international community bears for Tunisia, a country well known for its achievements in the area of women’s emancipation who have become individuals with full citizenship and equal partners of the men, for its sanctioning of human rights in a political context marked by the dominance of the Rule of Law. ARTICLE 2 To guarantee the Rights recognized by the Charter 50. Under the terms of Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, « every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognised and guaranteed in the present Charter without distinction of any kind ». I- Abolition of all forms of Discrimination 51. Tunisia, by becoming a member of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, under the terms of the Law n° 82-64 of 6th August 1982, reaffirmed its commitment to the promotion and protection of Human Rights in their global, interpendent and complementary dimension. 15

Select target paragraph3