Two months of work were enough to be labeled as a bad example for the children she were in touch with. Najma Kousri Labidi was an international sponsoring assistant of the fundraising department of SOS Children’s Village, an independent, non-governmental international development organization that provides reception to orphans or abandoned children and prior support to families in need.
Najma is also an activist of the Association Tunisienne des Femmes Démocrates (Tunisian Association of Democratic Women, ATFD) and an avowed LGBTQI supporter. Her colorful Facebook account does say it loud and clear, by being full of photos, articles and videos about feminism and pro- LGBTQI, sprinkling strength, courage and determination.
Nevertheless, this seems, to the Tunisian national officer of the SOS Children’s Villages, named Yosra Chaibi, downright unbecoming and grounds for termination without any opportunity for objection. The decision was reached after a month of inquiries and communicated to Najma by the national coordinator who refers she saw her Facebook profile printed out in quite a while and she encourages her to not make a big deal out of this petty planned attack.
Najma recorded the conversation and didn’t give in: she made known what happened through a Facebook, status on her profile, also quoting article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”).
Then she gave notification of it to SOS Children’s Villages, receiving in response the promise to investigate the unacceptable occurrence that won’t go unnoticed [Facebook]. Whereas Najma’s promise, to herself and to Tunisia, is to keep fighting and making her voice heard, with the hopes of being definitely an example to the new generations.
Ameni
©2017 Il Grande Colibrì
