Leïla Ben Ali

Leïla Ben Ali was active in philanthropy and humanitarian work in her role as First Lady of Tunisia. She founded the Basma Association in 2000 to help secure employment for the disabled, and has chaired the organization ever since. Under her leadership the association has provided micro-finance loans, secured employment for many and opened a center for the disabled in October 2010.[8] The center provided technical training in a number of fields including computer science, embroidery, carpentry, theater and music.[9]

She also started SAIDA, an initiative to improve cancer treatment, in 2010. She frequently gave speeches, was present at official ceremonies and occasionally read her husband's speeches. She regularly travelled with the president on official visits to other countries. Ben Ali was also active in S.O.S. Gammarth and El Karama, which provided care for orphans and promoted human rights, respectively.[10][11]

As president of the AWO, Leïla Ben Ali established the Arab Women's commission for International Humanitarian Law which served to promote international humanitarian law by increasing awareness and providing training programs for governments and humanitarian organizations. She also made domestic violence prevention a major priority of the AWO, and called for greater public attention and reporting of violence against women in the home.[12] In an interview in Trends Magazine, she asserted the importance of Arab women in sustainable development and bettering the Arab women's image were her main objectives as president of the AWO.[9]

She was recognized for her contributions to these organizations in a variety of publications. In 2000, she was selected as the "World Family Personality"; in 2003 deemed "Person of the Year" in the Russian magazine The World of the Woman, for her activities to promote social welfare and women's rights; and chosen as one of the world's 50 most influential Arabs by Middle East Magazine, a publication based in London.[13] She was commended for her work with the AWO to increase women's capacity in all fields and positions, and for increasing cooperation among Arab states on women's issues.[12] She was also recognized by the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM) for her role in empowering women in economic development.[14]