Without legal status, school or healthcare, thousands of migrant children are growing up in the blindspot of the Tunisian government. Ever since the suspension of the right to asylum and under pressure of growing violence, the reality that these children face—begging, human trafficking, arbitrary detention, forced deportation to Algeria or Libya—is chilling.
In Tunisia, migrant women give birth in precarious conditions, exposing their newborns to illness and malnutrition. Accused of contributing to a so-called “demographic change” within the country, they face administrative obstacles, racism and poverty. Their survival depends largely on the charity and limited assistance of international organizations.
With a generation of young fathers more involved in raising their children, is Tunisia’s father figure being redefined? The answer is not clear. While the concept of “head of household” may be changing, equality between parents remains a (very) long way off.
