Ikhlas Hamrouni

Tunisia — In a fragile economic context, characterized primarily by continuously rising prices, living pressures on families continue to escalate, with a clear decline in purchasing power and increasing difficulty in meeting basic needs. This situation has been reflected in consumption patterns within Tunisian households, as families are forced to permanently reorganize their daily priorities in an attempt to adapt to an increasingly complex economic reality.

In this context, women emerge as the most affected group by these changes, as they are in most cases responsible for managing the family budget, distributing expenses, and setting priorities between necessities and luxuries.

An exhausting life full of calculations

Citizen Malak Al-Saidi says that the living situation has become extremely difficult, pointing out that the prices of basic materials and other daily necessities have risen significantly, forcing families to focus almost entirely on necessities only. She explains that price hikes have affected everything without exception, making daily life exhausting and full of precise calculations for every purchase.

She says, "In many cases, women completely sacrifice their personal needs for their children, as the family budget is directed first toward food, health, and education," affirming that the mother "gives priority to her children at her own expense," even if it comes at the cost of her comfort and personal needs.

She also points out that increasing financial pressure has pushed many women to seek additional sources of income or contribute more to household expenses, considering that the responsibility of managing the budget is no longer limited to one party within the family but has become a shared burden, though it remains very exhausting under current circumstances.

Education expenses weigh heavily on the family

For her part, citizen Nadia Moulahi affirms that prices have risen significantly across various goods, considering that even basic needs have become a heavy burden on families, especially those with limited and middle incomes. She says, "Expenses related to education have also intensified the pressure, as school life for children requires continuous expenses including school supplies, books, transportation, and other needs that have become a burden on the family."

She points out that women find themselves forced to manage these expenses very carefully by setting strict priorities, adding that priority within the family is now given to children's education and health, as they are the non-negotiable foundation, while many luxuries that were previously part of ordinary daily life are abandoned.

Nadia Moulahi also calls for more price controls, considering that market regulation has become an urgent necessity in light of continuously rising prices, so that daily life does not become a permanent burden on citizens.

Women's responsibility is great

As for citizen Najwa Maysawi, she considers that Tunisia is experiencing a real economic crisis that cannot be denied, pointing out that citizens realize this directly when they are unable to provide the basic necessities for their families. She explains that price hikes now include various food items without exception, often for unjustifiable reasons.

She says, "Middle-income families are the most affected, as they find themselves between the pressures of living and rising costs on one hand, and stagnant or weak income on the other," noting a clear gap between official prices announced by authorities and prices applied in markets, raising questions about the extent of compliance with legal pricing. She calls for strengthening field monitoring and following up on traders' respect for announced prices, rather than merely announcing them.

Living pressure affects psychological and social stability

In the same context, citizen Wissal Tlili says that the cost of living has become unprecedented, as the prices of vegetables, meat, and basic goods have risen significantly, making citizens unable to keep up with these successive increases. She notes that "women bear a great responsibility within the home, and this role has become more complex with rising prices and declining purchasing power."

She also points out that price hikes no longer affect only purchasing power but have extended to include psychological and social stability within the family, as living pressure has become part of daily life for many families.

All these women agreed that this stressful living reality is experienced by many Tunisian families, where rising prices and declining purchasing power have become key factors reshaping daily lifestyles.