“Leila Ben Ali and Arab Women's Aspirations to Modernity” published in Beirut The Lebanese Studies and Publishing House “Al-Mithak” has recently published a new book by the Lebanese researcher Dr. Rafif Saidaoui. The book is entitled “Leila Ben Ali and Arab Women's Aspirations to Modernity.” “Al-Mithak” is one of the most prominent publishing houses in Lebanon. It has already published several works on Tunisia's accomplishments under President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's leadership, including “Ben Ali and Writing History” by the Lebanese writer and political analyst Georges Alam, and “Tunisian Women: Half Century of Avant-Gardism” authored by Lebanese Marie Nassif-Debs. The 191 page publication, which appears in a deluxe edition, comprises nine chapters in which the researcher analyses the thinking of Mrs. Leila Ben Ali, current Chairwoman of the Arab Women Organisation (AWO) and the Chairwoman of the «Basma» Association for Promotion of Employment for the Disabled, and the «Saida» association of fight against cancer as well as the impact of her initiatives and efforts in the social and humanist fields on Tunisian and Arab Women, and on children, family and people with special needs. The Lebanese researcher also reviews the Tunisian reformist thinking, since the second half of the 21st century, resulting in the promulgation on August 13, 1956 of the Code of Personal Status, which has been enriched since the advent of the November 7 Change by a new set of pioneering laws. These laws and initiatives helped consecrate gender equality, strengthen partnership between men and women and enhance social cohesion and comprehensive development. In the book's foreword, Dr. Saidaoui stresses that Mrs. Leila Ben Ali retraces the history of honorable activism shown by Tunisian women, convinced as she is that women's liberation is interrelated with the emancipation of society as a whole. She writes that Mrs. Leila Ben Ali has kept present in her memory all the glowing chapters of her country's history and is firmly committed to materialize them it in accordance with a progressive vision of women's issues. This vision, she points out, raised the debate on the promotion of women's status and improvement of their living conditions, one of the major concerns of governments and civil society components in the world. The Lebanese researcher reviews the initiatives launched by Mrs. Leila Ben Ali to promote the status of Tunisian and Arab women, family, children and categories with special needs. She points out that similarly to President Ben Ali, who has enhanced women's presence in decision-making positions and helped them contribute actively in the development process, Tunisia's First Lady has endeavoured, since her accession to the AWO presidency in 2009, to encourage the Arab society to join actively in the process of modernisation and development, guarantee gender equality in the Arab world and allow women to enjoy all their rights, while seeking to ease their participation in management of public affairs and the development process. In the conclusion of the book, Dr. Saidaoui underlines that the 3rd AWO's Congress to be held in October 2010, women in the Arab world will seize the bearings and dimensions of the motto Mrs. Leila Ben Ali chose for the Congress: “Arab Women: An Essential Partner in the Sustainable Development Process.” Dr. Saidaoui is a sociologist, an active member of the Arab Thinking Foundation, researcher and Professor at the Education Faculty of the Lebanese University. She has published several books and studies on Lebanese and Arab women. Dr. Saidaoui also authored a research paper on women's situation, which is used as a reference document for the Arab Report on Human Development in 2005 carried out by the United Nations Development Programme.
