The initiative Mawjoudin for equality, known as Mawjoudin (Arabic for We exist), is an officially registered non-governmental organization, based in Tunisia.
We are fighting against discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation and we are promoting equal rights for all.
Our vision
Our vision is to spread human rights culture to be able to live in a society, where discrimination, homophobia and sexism do not exist, and a society that promotes integrity, dignity and celebrates difference.
Our mission
Mawjoudin seeks to defend and promote human rights generally, and sexual and bodily rights as well as gender equality in specific, through diversity work focusing on advocacy and lobbying, documentation, capacity community building and raising awareness.
Objectives
– Increasing awareness in relation to sexual and gender rights through campaigning, advocacy, awareness raising workshops, and lobbying,
– Creating safe spaces mostly for LGBTQI individuals and other marginalised groups, including refugeesand asylum seekers,
– Documenting sexual and gender based violence and violations against LGBTQI groups and other marginalised groups,
– Improving the well-being of LGBTQI individuals through providing medical, legal and psychosocial support,
– Changing public opinion about sexual rights and gender equality, through media campaigns and awareness raising workshops,
– Advocating and lobbying to change the legal frameworks through which LGBTQI people and marginalised groups are persecuted, including article 230,
– Empowering marginalised groups through capacity building and workshops,
– Creating communities and networks of support for LGBTQI individuals and other marginalised groups, through the provision of a safe space and the creation of a referrals system for LGBTQI-friendly services,
– Building bridges between different LGBTQI groups and communities across the country, in order to unify the message of rights.
A brief history
Mawjoudin was founded in 2014 by a group of young activists, feminists and LGB persons, who have been working together in other activist groups. We were alarmed by the situation of LGBTQI persons and by the restrictions put on the bodily and sexual rights in Tunisia. We have created Mawjoudin in order to contribute in changing the situation of LGBTQI persons and the norms forced on the body and sexuality.