First forum theatre organized in Tunisia and for the benefit of a public administration
From 26 – 30 November 2018, an organizational and "gender participatory” audit, using the theater-forum technique, took place in Tunis. The innovative event was held in the wider context of the implementation of the EU-funded project „Strengthening the capacity of MFFES* and its state and non-state partners to contribute to the achievement of equality between women and men in Tunisia", that is managed by GFA Consulting Group and CILG-VNGi.
The purpose of the training was to encourage participants to reflect on aspects of organizational culture within the Ministry that produce counterproductive mechanisms, disrupt relationships among colleagues, impact upon staff roles and functions, create conflicts, prevent quality of work outputs and jeopardize the success of activities that strive for gender equality. At the same time, this forum encourages participants to reflect beyond the institutional challenges and assess their own behaviors, attitudes and beliefs about gender and their work environment.
Forum Theatre is used as a creative tool for deepening the understanding of workplace issues, related to gender and power dynamics, by directly engaging participants in a protected environment where no one is exposed. Forum theatre also makes it possible to challenge workplace dynamics considered to be difficult or oppressive and to reach practically acceptable solutions through a collegial and mutually owned process.
*Ministère de la Femme, Famille, Enfants et Seniors
