Wided Bouchamaoui

Wided Bouchamaoui in 2016

Wided Bouchamaoui, also transcribed Ouided Bouchamaoui, (born 1961) is a Tunisian businesswoman who since 2011 has been leader of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA). As leader of the organization she took from 2013 part in Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet which led the latter organization to receive the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.[1] The French news magazine Jeune Afrique has identified her as one of the Top 25 Business Women in Africa.[2]

Career

Bouchamaoui was born into a wealthy business family. Her grandfather Ahmed started a civil engineering company. Her father took over part of the firm and made it into Hédi Bouchamaoui & Sons which specialized in oil, textile and other industry. After having obtained a DESS degree in international trade and marketing, Wided worked for a period in her father's firm before starting her own firm with about 200 employees, specializing in cotton.[2][3][4]

Following the Tunisian revolution in 2011, she became leader of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), an employers union.[3] In September 2013 she, as leader of the organization, co-formed the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, whose aim was to secure a transition to democracy.[5] The group included Wided Bouchamaoui as President of UTICA, Houcine Abassi as the Secretary General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), Abdessattar ben Moussa as the President of the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), and Mohamed Fadhel Mahmoud as the president of the Tunisian Order of Lawyers.[6] The group was disestablished in December 2014 after the 2014 Tunisian parliamentary election took place in October.[5]

The Quartet was awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize "for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011".[7] Along with other leaders of the Quartet, Houcine Abassi, Mohammed Fadhel Mafoudh and Abdessatar Ben Moussa, Bouchamaoui traveled to Oslo to collect the Nobel Prize on December 10, 2015.[8][9][10] Bouchamaoui emphasized the collaborative nature of the group's activities, and the importance of encouraging people: "We are here to give hope to young people in Tunisia, that if we believe in our country, we can succeed."[11] The committee's decision has been described as "rewarding hope rather than a finished product".[6]

Personal life

She has two sons.[2][3]

Awards

References

  1. ↑ Fouche, Gwladys; Amara, Tarek (October 9, 2015). "Tunisian mediator group wins Nobel Peace Prize for aiding move to democracy". Reuters. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Mounia El-Arfaoui (28 August 2013) Iron Lady of Tunisia Correspondents.Org
  3. 1 2 3 Frida Dahmani (28 May 2012) Tunisie : Wided Bouchamaoui, forcément candidate (French) Jeune Afrique (Archive)
  4. ↑ Capman, Vincent (15 October 2015). "Wided Bouchamaoui, Prix Nobel de la Paix 2015 De l'importance de la voix des femmes". Paris Match. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  5. 1 2 Hoda Saliby (16 October 2015) Wided Bouchamaoui : “L’expérience tunisienne est unique” (French) Courrier International
  6. 1 2 Winch, Jessica (October 9, 2015). "Nobel Peace Prize 2015 awarded to Tunisian mediator group". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  7. ↑ "Announcement – The Nobel Peace Prize for 2015". 9 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Thiesing, Dorothee (2015-12-10). "Tunisian democracy group collects 2015 Nobel Peace Prize". Bigstory.ap.org. Retrieved 2015-12-28.
  9. ↑ Thiesing, Dorothee (December 10, 2015). "The National Dialogue Quartet, democracy group in Tunisia, collects Nobel Peace Prize". U. S. News. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "National Dialogue Quartet – Photo Gallery". Nobelprize.org. 2015-12-10. Retrieved 2015-12-28.
  11. ↑ Chappell, Bill (October 9, 2015). "'We Did It Together,' Says Tunisian Co-Winner Of 2015 Nobel Peace Prize". NPR. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  12. ↑ "2014 Honourees". Business for Peace Foundation. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  13. ↑ Béji Caïd Essebsi décore le quartet et les martyrs Belaïd, Brahmi et Naguedh Business News, 14 January 2015
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