A woman in Tunisia is hoping to become the first ever female mayor of the capital Tunis in Sunday's local elections.

Souad Abderrahim, 54, was fielded as a candidate by Islamist party Ennahdha ahead of the May 6 poll. She will run against 10 other top candidates who are all male.

Tunisian commentators say Abderrahim, who does not wear a Muslim headscarf, has considerable support.

She has acknowledged to The Associated Press that her candidacy is a "challenge" and called on voters "to not make any discrimination on the basis of gender."

Abderrahim, a pharmacist-turned-politician, said her campaign should be "a source of pride for Tunisian women."

Sunday's poll will be first local election in Tunisia since the 2011 revolution that initiated the Arab Spring.