The 2011 revolution was a powerful expression of Tunisians’ desire to have their voice heard in the economic and political life of their country. Following the 2011 Revolution, the Tunisian government embarked on a series of efforts to improve the quality of governance, advance administrative reforms, fight corruption, increase social inclusion, and reduce regional disparities. USAID Tunisia supports these efforts through economic and governance assistance programs to promote both economic participation, (e.g. by helping small firms create jobs for youth and marginalized populations) and democratic consolidation.  

Current Activities

• The Tunisia Accountability, Decentralization, and Effective Municipalities (TADAEEM or “Consolidation”) project is a four year project that works with Tunisian government officials and other partners - especially at the local and regional levels - to help them develop more effective ways to provide necessary public services to the people for whom they are responsible. In doing so, TADAEEM will help ensure that these services are provided in a way that is inclusive, efficient and accountable. The goal is to help the Tunisian government to better respond to the needs of the Tunisian people.
• The Supporting Youth and Empowering Local Communities (Sharekna, or “Participate with Us”) project launched in April 2017 and helps Tunisian youth and other stakeholders in marginalized communities identify drivers of instability, and then empowers those same groups to design and implement community-level actions to address those problems. This approach strengthens community resilience, promotes positive youth engagement, and weakens the pull of violent extremism. Sharekna works in the Tunisian communities of Cite Ettadhamen, Douar Hicher, El Kef, and Sidi Bouzid. 
• The Domestic Election Monitoring in Tunisia program is strengthening the integrity of Tunisia’s political processes in the run-up to municipal and regional elections. Building on previous USAID assistance for the 2011 and 2014 elections, USAID’s activities help foster capable citizen oversight of municipal and regional elections—currently anticipated for Spring 2018—laying the groundwork for greater citizen oversight of the performance of newly elected officials. The program supports a group of six Tunisian civil society organizations to conduct comprehensive election observation of the elections. Additionally, the program also supports Tunisian civil society organizations and media outlets engaged in civic and voter education efforts, with a particular focus on youth, women, and persons with disabilities.