The Tunisian Women's Association for Developmental Research started under the independent women's movement in Tunis, which was launched in Al Taher Al Haddad's cultural society within the society for studying women's issues, and has continued to pursue its mission in various fields. 
The association was licensed in 1989, and it started as a Tunisian initiative within The African Women's Association for Developmental Research. Members of the association are women interested in research in general, and issues related to women in particular. They are all committed to the improvement of the condition of women through intellectual and critical development in this field; and their work focuses mainly on uncovering the obstacles facing women on all legislative, economic and cultural levels.

The aims of the association can be summed up as follows :
1- Carrying out research on the integration of women in development plans.
2- Encouraging conscious and critical participation of women in planning and implementing development plans in order to give more scope for the integration of women in these plans.
3- Encouraging research related to women in order to achieve actual liberation of Tunisian women and preserve their gains.
4- Highlighting the role of women in the processes of cultural, social and economic development; and acknowledging their historical role.
5- Evaluating and reconsidering developmental projects and their influence on the conditions of women.
6- Reviving and developing communication channels between Tunisian and African women, and all parties concerned with women's issues.
7- Evaluating and reconsidering the methodology and priorities of research studies in order to serve the Tunisian woman.