The Central Bank of Tunisia recently unveiled new banknotes honoring a pioneer in women’s medicine, late doctor Tawhida Ben Cheikh. The bank disclosed that the new 10 Tunisian dinar note would feature Ben Cheikh the first woman to appear on the country’s currency.

Announcing the circulation of the banknote as a legal tender, Abdelaziz bin Said, Director of the Public Treasury Tunisia’s Apex bank said that this decision had been made a year ago to “honor Tunisian women”.The new notes went into circulation on Friday, March 27, 2020, as legal tender and will circulate alongside the country’s other currency.

Ben Cheikh who is now featured on Tunisia’s 10 dinar bill was not only the first female doctor in Tunisia but also the first female doctor to practice modern medicine in the Middle East and North Africa region. Born in 1909, the Late Ben Cheikh was the first Muslim woman to become a physician in North Africa in the 20th century and is particularly renowned for her work in women’s health and specialization in gynecology.

In addition, Ben Cheikh headed campaigns around access to contraception and abortion. This led to the legalization of abortion in 1965 but was only granted for married women with more than five children who had the approval of their husbands. Eight years later, Tunisia gave all women access to abortion within the first trimester, regardless of their partner’s approval.

A 2017 study estimated only 15 percent of the world’s banknotes feature women. However, with more advocacy for gender equality, women who are of exceptional character are finally getting recognized enough to be on their nation’s legal tender. Globally, only 18 countries have women on their currencies, some of them include the United Kingdom, Syria, Sweden, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico amongst others. 

Although there is a variety of prominent female figures in Africa, it is shocking that Ben Chekih is the first African woman to be fully recognized on a currency. This says a lot about how dedicated, hardworking and inspirational female figures are yet to be recognized in Africa. Much more has to be done on the continent to support women’s rights through achieving a true gender balance that celebrates individuals accordingly.