Our sister and feminist militant Naama had a remarkable career in politics and in trade union in a context of dictatorship and a patriarchal society, where activism was often considered a male-only field. Born on February 9th, 1964 in Sfax, from a very young age she took part in the student movement at the School of Law and Economic and Political Sciences of Sousse. Under the Ben Ali dictatorship, her home was a place of refuge to comrades fleeing from police repression.
In 1992, she obtained her master’s degree in private law and, in 1995, she started working at the lower court in Sfax. Naama quickly took on union responsibilities and became deputy general secretary of the Grassroots Union of Justice Employees in 2003. Later, she became general secretary of the Regional Justice Union in 2006. A pioneer advocating for the rights of the clerks of the courts, she played a fundamental role in creating a regional sectoral committee of women workers of the justice system in April 2006. Her union work led to retaliation, including threats of dismissal by the disciplinary council under Ben Ali.
A zealous left-wing, feminist militant, Naama established in 2008 a regional committee to support the residents of the mining bay in response to protests against social injustice and illegitimate trials.
In 2007, she obtained a certificate of skill as a lawyer and dedicated her thesis to the issue of sexual harassment, thus breaking down a taboo.
Her commitment to human rights and women’s rights was always connected to her legal practice. After the 2011 Revolution, Naama worked for the unification of women and the protection of their rights, leading to the creation of the regional section of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women in Sfax, where she became general secretary. She was also engaged in the Tunisian Human Rights League, where she took on many responsibilities.
Naama, a feminist militant whose struggle went beyond the borders of national organizations, was involved since 2015 with the World March of Women as a regional coordinator in southern Tunisia. At the center of the feminist struggle, a star appeared in the sky of the World March of Women. That shining star, who has been a beacon of hope and inspiration for many women, joined the March early on, with the creation of the National Coordinating Body, following a visit from the International Coordinator on March 8th, 2013 and as a result of her guidance and advice that paved the way for her. Thanks to her courage and will, Naama created the Southern Regional Coordinating Board in Sfax, a city of traditions, heritage, and history, and contributed to establish the Central Regional Coordinating Body in Kairouan, also a city with rich cultural heritage. The Regional Coordinating Board of Northern Tunisia is in the process of being established to lead the struggle across the country.
This true heroin was an integral part of the 4th International Action of the WMW, which has pushed for the defense of women’s bodies and territories. Active and dedicated to all coordinating activities, she took every opportunity to convey her noble message. She organized the Day of Anti-Imperialist Struggle and paid tribute to the victims of Rana Plaza with grief and hope, in memory of the workers of Bangladesh who lost their lives while trying to make a living on April 24th, 2013. She also reached out to the women who worked on Kerkennah Islands to show that the struggle knows no geographical borders.
In 2016, she took part in the 1st Regional Meeting of the WMW Northern Africa and Middle East, in Tunisia, a decisive moment in her activist life. In 2018, she visited Bilbao to take part in the 11th International Meeting, where she exchanged ideas and experiences with militants from all over the world, adding more depth and dynamism to her pathway.
She continued her work for the WMW with the same enthusiasm and determination with which she took part in the activities of the 5th International Action and, in 2020, during the 12th World Meeting organized remotely, she was elected as a member of the International Coordination, where she was responsible for the MENA region alongside our Palestinian sister. Her term was rich in achievements and she conducted many activities that influenced the March and increased her strength and influence, as she oversaw the organization of the 2nd Regional Meeting of the WMW Northern Africa and Middle East in Tunisia in 2021. In October 2023, during the 13th World Meeting, she was re-elected for a second term as an acknowledgement of her efforts and relevant contributions.
Our sister Naama passed away on May 21st, 2024, leaving a legacy of courage and dedication to the feminist movement and the human rights movement. Her story shows a relentless struggle for equality and justice in a society where these values are continuously challenged. We fear this gradual erasure, this smudge that threatens to blur the lines of her face, mute the echo of her voice in our memory. It is a silent angst of no longer feeling the warmth of her words, of no longer finding refuge in our shared memories. Her leaving is a form of injustice, an abyss we are afraid to sink in, where all memory can dissolve, leaving us alone in face of an unbearable void. However, we cling on to these fragments of life, these precious moments we refuse to let disappear, because it is through them that her essence continues to live in us.
A blessing that will remain alive in us and in our hearts, a bright light to all of those who believe in the national democratic struggle and in social justice. This star that enlightened our path will continue to be a beacon of hope and struggle for women around the world. Glory and eternity to you, international sister and fighter—and, from us to you, eternal loyalty as long as we live. We will keep on marching until all women are free.
This tribute is an edited version of contributions by Amel Arbaoui, Habiba Trifi, and Souad Mahmoud, members of the World March of Women Tunisia.
