Tunisia
HiiL has been active in Tunisia since 2012. As one of our focus countries, our goal is to contribute to a justice system that is more accessible, responsive and people-centred. Since 2017, our work has been grounded in national Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) data, helping to identify priority issues and co-develop practical solutions so more people can resolve their justice problems.
In 2021, we launched a dedicated multi-year programme centred on improving access to justice in employment-related disputes: a problem identified as one of the most common legal challenges in the country.
In 2025, we begin a complementary two-year initiative supporting justice solutions for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (mSMEs). These businesses make up 99% of Tunisia’s economy, yet face persistent barriers in areas like registration, compliance, taxation and dispute resolution.
Employment Justice
Employment disputes are the most common and serious justice problem in Tunisia. The 2024 eJNS survey revealed that 45% of legal problems remain unresolved, with workplace issues among the most pressing. The 2025 follow-up study confirmed this persistent justice gap: half of all problems reported in 2023 had been abandoned without resolution, only 31% were resolved, and 12% were still ongoing after two to three years, clearly showing the limits of the current system in addressing employment and other disputes effectively.
To address this, we convened 25 national stakeholders in a Justice Innovation Lab. The Lab led to the design of the Employment Justice Platform (‘Monde du Travail’), spearheaded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Labour Inspection. Integrated into the Labour Inspection’s systems, it will support 350 inspectors and aims to reach 50,000 workers annually. An independent Ecorys Cost–Benefit Analysis confirmed its viability, showing strong social and economic returns.
In parallel, HiiL and high-level Tunisian legal experts developed the Employment Justice Guideline, a practical tool to help legal professionals resolve workplace conflicts more fairly and effectively.
In partnership with the Tunisian Bar Association, more than 200 lawyers have been trained to apply people-centred practices. These trainings are supported by the People-Centred Justice Training Platform, which will be available for legal professionals across Tunisia.
Tunisia has also become a hub for justice innovation. Through the Justice Accelerator, 14 Tunisian startups were supported in 2024, and 135 young entrepreneurs joined hackathon events. At the Justice Innovators Parade, 15 startups presented their solutions to the Bar Association, CONECT, and the national registries. In May 2025, HiiL and the RNE (Registre National des Entreprises) organised Hack4Justice, engaging 70+ tech and legal talents to tackle entrepreneurs’ challenges. Prototypes included an AI helpdesk chatbot and an AI-based company name generator to reduce rejection rates in business formalisation.
In addition, HiiL organised the Tech the Justice Gap Forum, under the patronage of the Presidency of the Government. The event brought together over 200 policymakers, justice professionals and entrepreneurs to debate the future of people-centred and technology-driven justice in Tunisia.
Justice for mSMEs
mSMEs make up 99% of Tunisia’s businesses, but face serious obstacles: complex registration, difficult compliance, contract disputes, and limited access to justice. These challenges drive many into informality, undermining economic growth.
In 2025, HiiL launched the mSMEs Programme with support from the Dutch Embassy in Tunis. It builds on the employment justice work, applying the same people-centred, data-driven approach to empower small business owners, both in the formal and informal sector.
Ongoing activities include:
- A national JNS survey on mSMEs to map their most urgent justice challenges.
- Development of Best Practice Guidelines for legal professionals to support small businesses.
- A dedicated Justice Innovation Lab to co-create solutions for mSMEs with government, business associations, and CSOs.
- Ongoing support for Tunisian justice startups through the Justice Accelerator, with a focus on SMEs. Currently, AI companies e-Tafakna and ContractzLab are in the programme.
- Hack4Justice: a hackathon to design and prototype an innovative legal service for mSMEs in partnership with a public institution.
By helping entrepreneurs register their businesses more easily, comply with regulations, manage contracts and resolve disputes, the programme will support mSME stability and growth, reduce informality, and strengthen trust in Tunisia’s justice system.
Key Achievements
Data & Evidence (2017–2025):
Three nationwide Justice Needs and Satisfaction (JNS) surveys, including a unique longitudinal study, built the evidence base for people-centred justice reform in Tunisia.
Entrepreneurship & Future Justice (2019–2026):
Through the Justice Accelerator, 130+ justice startups in MENA (including 14 Tunisian), and the new Justice for mSMEs programme, reducing legal barriers for small businesses and driving long-term innovation.
Employment Justice Guidelines (2023–2024):
Development of Tunisia’s first Employment Justice Guideline and training of 200 lawyers, providing practical tools and capacity for resolving labour disputes.
Innovation & Digital Solutions (2023–2025):
Justice Innovation Labs co-created practical interventions with national stakeholders, including the Presidency of the Government and the Tunisian Ministry of Social Affairs. This work led to the successful launch of Tunisia’s first digital Employment Justice Platform.
Partners
We collaborate with the Tunisian Presidency of the Government, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Labour Inspection, The National Registry for Companies (RNE) and the Tunisian Bar Association. These partnerships ensure that our activities are grounded in national priorities and have local ownership. We are also supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch Embassy in Tunis and the Open Society Foundations.
Contact person
Raja Mazeh
Country Manager
Further reading
Empowering Tunisian Workplaces: HiiL Launches the Employment Justice Guideline
Treatment Guidelines provide recommendations on interventions that have proven to work. In Tunisia, more than 250,000 people find themselves in work-related disputes each year. Our latest Guideline examines employment issues in the country and how to resolve them—turning knowledge into action.
Empowering Justice: HiiL and the Bar Association Forge a Game-Changing Partnership
In a significant development for the advancement of justice systems and legal innovation, The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) and the Tunisian Bar Association recently announced a groundbreaking partnership.
New study brings to life the full scope of people’s legal problems in Tunisia
Our latest justice needs survey of 5,008 individuals details the legal problems facing people in Tunisia.
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