09.10.2015 13:03
Labor unions, lawyers and human rights activists claim award for 'decisive contribution' to building Tunisian democracy.
A group of Tunisian trade unions, lawyers and human rights activists have won the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.
A collection of civil-society groups dubbed the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet won the accolade on Friday for what organizers described as "its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011".
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said that the quartet was instrumental in enabling Tunisia "to establish a constitutional system of government guaranteeing fundamental rights for the entire population, irrespective of gender, political conviction or religious belief".
Four key bodies in Tunisian civil society make up the quartet: the Tunisian General Labour Union; the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers.
The Nobel committee said the quartet had supported the work of the country's constituent assembly in drafting a post-revolution constitution.
Tunisia was the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolutions that swept the Middle East and North Africa in 2011.
However, a great hope for democratic transition in North Africa and the Middle East was dashed in countries like Libya, Syria and Yemen; all three have faced civil strife and chaos instead of peaceful change.
In Egypt, the Arab Spring paved the way for the fall of Hosni Mubarak, ex-president of the country who had ruled for 30 years, ushering in the first democratic election in the nation's history.
That civilian government came to an end when a military coup overthrew democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, in July 2013.
The Nobel committee said the prize would be "an inspiration to all those who seek to promote peace and democracy in the Middle East, North Africa and the rest of the world". - İstanbul