I.Introduction

1.In accordance with article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Government of Togo is submitting its eighth, ninth and tenth periodic reports, combined in a single document.

2.The report was prepared following an inclusive and participatory process involving government agencies, State institutions, associations and non‑governmental organizations (NGOs) that work to promote and protect women’s rights, and the private sector. The Government is grateful for the financial support provided by the United Nations Development Programme.

3.The report sets out the legislative, judicial, administrative and other measures adopted by Togo to give effect to the provisions of the Convention, as well as the challenges encountered. The report consists of two parts.

4.Part one contains general information on Togo, while part two provides information on the implementation of articles 1–16 of the Convention.

II.Part one: general information on Togo

1.Geographical setting

5.The information provided in the first combined report (CEDAW/C/TGO/1-5) remains valid. However, climate change has had a considerable impact on the overall climate, with the seasonal rains coming either early or late, depending on the year, leading to flooding or drought.

2.Population and demographic indicators

2.1Population

6.According to the final results of the fifth general population and housing census, the resident population of Togo in November 2022 stood at 8,095,498, of whom 4,150,988 were women, or 51.3 per cent of the population, confirming the predominance of women in Togo. Young people account for a high proportion of the population: 41.6 per cent are under 15 years of age, 54.6 per cent are between 15 and 44 years of age, 11.4 per cent are between 45 and 64 years of age, and 3.8 per cent are 65 and older.

Resident population of Togo by rural/urban area and sex

	Sex
Area	Male	Female	Total
Urban	1 689 674	1 784 118	3 473 792
Rural	2 254 836	2 366 870	4 621 706
Togo	3 944 510	4 150 988	8 095 498

Source: Spatial distribution of the population, 2022, National Institute of Statistics and Economic and Demographic Studies.

7.The majority of the population (4,621,706 people) lives in rural areas, compared with 3,473,792 living in urban areas, representing a degree of urbanization of 42.9 per cent.

2.2Population growth rate

8.The population growth rate of 2.42 per cent indicated in the previous report has not changed.

2.3Household size and composition

9.The information given in the previous report remains valid. The average size of households in Togo is 4.7 people. There are differences in household size between urban and rural areas. The average household size in urban areas has fallen slightly to 4.1 people, while the average in rural areas is 5.3 people (Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire 2015).

2.4Birth and fertility rates

10.Overall, infant and child mortality rates have decreased since the third demographic and health survey conducted in 2014. The infant mortality rate fell from 60 deaths per 1,000 live births to 49 deaths during the period from 2009 to 2013, and decreased further to 42 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2014 and 2017 (2017 multiple indicator cluster survey, round 6).

11.The under-5 mortality rate fell from 88 deaths per 1,000 live births to 71 deaths over the same period, while the child mortality rate fell from 58 deaths per 1,000 live births to 31 deaths between 2003 and 2017.

Changes in infant and child mortality indicators over the period 2014–2017

Maternal and neonatal mortality situation

12.Neonatal and maternal mortality rates have remained unchanged since the third demographic and health survey, at 27 deaths per 1,000 live births and 401 deaths per 100,000 live births, respectively. However, post-neonatal mortality has declined, falling from 44 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the 2017 multiple indicator cluster survey, round 6.

13.Maternal and neonatal care in healthcare facilities has improved, resulting in a decrease in direct obstetrical deaths in healthcare facilities, which fell from 1.60 per cent in 2017 to 1.18 per cent in 2022. However, due to the lack of recent survey data, it is not possible to assess by how much maternal mortality has fallen at the community level.

14.According to estimates by the World Health Organization, the maternal mortality ratio in Togo was 399 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births among women of childbearing age (15–49 years) in 2020.

15.The reduction in infant, neonatal, child and maternal mortality rates is the result of several priority programmes and projects, including:

•Expanded Programme on Immunization (almost all childhood vaccines provided free of charge)

•National malaria control programme (free malaria treatment and preventive action)

•Maternal and reproductive health programme (improved emergency obstetric and neonatal care; family planning; subsidized caesarean sections; certain maternal and infant health services provided free of charge)

•National programme to combat HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (prevention of mother-to-child transmission; free antiretroviral drugs and medical care and follow-up; action plan to improve early diagnosis and paediatric HIV care 2023–2026)

•WEZOU programme (certain maternal, neonatal and infant health services provided free of charge).

3.Economic development

3.1Agriculture, livestock farming and fishing

16.The information provided in the combined sixth and seventh periodic report (CEDAW/C/TGO/6-7) remains valid.

17.According to the latest data, the majority of the population of Togo (57.1 per cent) live in rural areas, while 42.9 per cent live in urban areas. Agriculture employs 70 per cent of the labour force and contributes 20.6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) (Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation, 2022). The food balance sheet shows that the country is largely self-sufficient. In 2008, it produced 90 per cent of the crops it needed, a figure which rose to 147 per cent in 2022. In 2012, it produced 51 per cent of the meat products it consumed, a figure which rose to 60 per cent in 2022. However, self-sufficiency with regard to fish products has fallen from 35 per cent in 2010 to 20 per cent in 2022, because needs have increased while production has remained almost unchanged (Department of Agricultural Statistics, Information and Documentation, 2022 crop year report).

18.The Government’s vision for agriculture is set out in a number of strategic documents, including the national agricultural investment and food and nutrition security programme 2017–2026, which is aligned with the Togo 2025 road map.

19.At the institutional level, new entities have been established that are making a significant contribution to the personal development of women, young people and other vulnerable groups, such as educational institutes offering sandwich courses in aquaculture and livestock farming. The Department of Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Financing was established in 2023 to support and provide structure to the training and financing efforts of farmers’ organizations, in particular those run by women. The same is true of the Agricultural Transformation Agency, which has intensified its efforts to support vulnerable groups, including women and young people, as part of its comprehensive approach to implementing its mandate.

20.In addition, 16 October has been designated the national day of women farmers. Every year, a theme is selected that showcases the commitment and contribution of women farmers to the development of the economy.

3.2Mining, energy, water resources and industry

21.The information provided on p. 10 of the combined sixth and seventh periodic report remains valid.

22.There is new information on the implementation of the mining development and governance project. The project, funded by the World Bank, has enabled:

•Development of a strategic document for the mining sector (mining policy of Togo and medium- and long-term strategic plan for the mining sector)

•Development of a guide on environmental and social studies, a guide on good environmental and social practices in artisanal mining and a guide on developing a mine and quarry closure plan

•Mapping of artisanal mines and quarries

•Establishment of artisanal mining cooperatives

•Aerial mapping using a combination of two methods

23.In 2023, as part of a drive to establish new mining projects to support the energy transition, the Government set up a State-owned manganese mining company.

24.The proportion of the population with access to electricity was 33.11 per cent in 2015, 45.6 per cent in 2019, 58.1 per cent in 2021, 63 per cent in 2022 and 66 per cent in 2023.

25.The increase in access to electricity is the result of a number of measures, including:

•The Cizo programme, as part of which over 144,317 pay-as-you-go solar energy systems were installed nationwide

•The Tinga fund, which is intended to increase access to electricity for all, with over 36,000 households connected as of the end of November 2023 in the Savanes, Kara and Plateaux regions

•Rural electrification projects

•Increased production capacity (construction of the 65 megawatt (MW) Kékéli thermal power station and the 70 MW Blitta solar power plant)

•Improved transmission network (construction of a 161 kilovolt (kV) high-voltage transmission line to Kara, Mango, Dapaong and Mandouri and associated substations, totalling 330 km)

•Improved access to electricity through the implementation of the Lomé electricity grid extension project (PEREL) and the Togo Electricity Sector Reform and Investment Project (PRISET)

3.3Financial institutions and insurance companies

26.The financial institutions and insurance companies mentioned in the combined sixth and seventh periodic report (CEDAW/C/TGO/6-7, pp. 10 and 11) are still operating.

27.To promote the empowerment and participation of women in economic development, the Government established the National Fund for Inclusive Finance, which, through its various products, facilitates access to credit for women and girls and their economic activities. The aim is to enable women and households that do not have access to traditional financial services to make the switch to microfinance services.

28.Women entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector can also receive support from the Shared-risk Agricultural Financing Incentive and the National Agency for the Promotion and Guaranteed Financing of Small and Medium Enterprises.

29.Traditional financial services, such as banks and insurance companies, are also doing their part to facilitate access to credit for women.

3.3.1Banks and decentralized financing systems

30.In addition to those mentioned in the previous report, new banking institutions have been established, including Coris Bank and Bank of Africa.

31.With regard to decentralized financing systems, in addition to the information provided in the previous report, a number of entities have emerged:

•Artisans’ Cooperative Savings and Credit Association

•Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Togo

•Central Organization of Village Savings and Credit Cooperatives

•Union of Women’s Cooperative Savings and Credit Associations of Togo

32.Most of the members of these microfinance institutions are women, who are given special attention with regard to access to credit. The credit activities of the Union of Women’s Cooperative Savings and Credit Associations of Togo are focused on women.

3.3.2Insurance companies

33.In addition to the information contained in the combined sixth and seventh periodic report (CEDAW/C/TGO/6-7, p. 12, paras. 36 and 37), a number of new companies have emerged, including Saham Insurance, CIF Life Insurance and Coris Protect.

3.4Transport and telecommunication

3.4.1Transport

34.The information provided on pages 19 and 20 of the combined sixth and seventh periodic report remains valid. The road network has grown over the past 10 years. The State has invested in road infrastructure and there are now 11,777 km of roads in Togo. Approximately 2,101 km of main roads and 1,473 km of urban roads are surfaced.

35.A new terminal at Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport opened in April 2016.

3.4.2Telecommunication

36.Two telephone operators share the market: the Togocom group and Moov.

37.According to the 2018 report of the Regulatory Authority for Postal Services and Telecommunication on developments in regulated markets, the landline penetration rate is decreasing sharply. From 2017 to 2018, the penetration rate fell by 80 per cent, going from 2.55 per cent to 0.51 per cent. Over the same period, the mobile phone penetration rate remained the same, at 83 per cent, in both 2017 and 2018. The Internet penetration rate has increased spectacularly over the past five years, going from 3 per cent in 2012 to 36 per cent in 2017.

38.The Internet service providers are Togocom, Moov, Café Informatique & Communication, the TEOLIS group and Group Vivendi Africa Togo.

39.With the increase in Internet access, financial services have expanded and employ growing numbers of women. The first mobile financial service (Flooz) was launched in Togo by Moov, part of Atlantique Télécom Togo, on 31 August 2013. In June 2016, Togo Cellulaire launched a similar service called Tmoney.

3.5Tourism and hotel infrastructure

40.The information given in the previous report remains valid. With regard to hotel infrastructure, the Radisson Blu hotel has become the Hôtel 2 Février Lomé, while the Mercure Sarakawa hotel has been taken over by the State. There are many private hotels throughout the country.

41.With regard to tourist attractions, the list of sites given in the previous report has not changed.

42.The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic hit the sector hard, despite the considerable assistance provided by the Government to shore up the sector, which accounted for 4 per cent of GDP in 2015.

3.6Trade

3.6.1Domestic trade

43.The information on domestic trade provided in the previous combined report remains valid. Domestic trade was affected by the fires that damaged the main markets in Lomé and Kara. Reconstruction projects are under way.

3.6.2Foreign trade

44.In 2018, Togo had a trade surplus of 57,880.3 million CFA francs (CFAF).

45.The country’s top five export partners are Switzerland (18.6 per cent), Côte d’Ivoire (6.0 per cent), Burkina Faso (4.5 per cent), India (3.8 per cent) and Benin (2.1 per cent).

46.Its top five import partners are Liberia (10.9 per cent), France (9.7 per cent), the United Kingdom (9.1 per cent), Panama (6.4 per cent) and Côte d’Ivoire (4.1 per cent).

47.In 2018, exports and imports of services fell by 27.1 per cent and 9.5 per cent, respectively. The trade balance fell by 61.3 per cent.

3.7Public finances and the national debt

48.Central government debt as at the end of December 2022 totalled CFAF 3,337.36 billion, up from CFAF 2,912.5 billion as at the end of December 2021 and CFAF 2,555.4 billion in 2020. The upward trend in debt levels from 2020 to 2022 is linked to the worsening budget deficit over this period. The increase in the budget deficit over the past three years is mainly due to the negative impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic and the security crisis in the north of the country, which resulted in higher public spending.

49.The debt level (debt-to-GDP ratio) has been reassessed as a result of GDP rebasing. It increased from 60.1 per cent of GDP in 2020 to 63.0 per cent of GDP in 2021 and 65.84 per cent of GDP in 2022. The debt ratio is still well below the 70 per cent ceiling set by the West African Economic and Monetary Union.

3.8Development indicators

50.In recent years, the human development index has improved, increasing from 0.484 in 2014 to 0.547 in 2023/2024, an increase of 13 per cent. With such results, Togo is on course to join the category of countries with an average human development index of 0.550.

51.The national poverty rate fell by 5.2 points from 2011 to 2017. Rural areas are the most affected by poverty, with 63.7 per cent of households below the poverty line in 2017. In addition, the poverty rate is higher for female-headed households (57.5 per cent) than for male-headed households (55 per cent).

4.Social services

4.1Education and training

52.The education plan for the period 2020–2030 has been drawn up. With respect to the results of the various activities undertaken, the indicators improved from 2021 to 2023.

•The net enrolment rate for primary education rose from 58.8 per cent in 2021 to 62.2 per cent in 2023, an increase of more than 3 points over two years.

•The repetition rate in primary education has fallen steadily over the past three years, decreasing from 4.9 per cent in 2021 to 4.8 per cent in 2022 and 3.9 per cent in 2023. The repetition rate in upper secondary education was 14.6 per cent in 2021, 15.6 per cent in 2022 and 11.7 per cent in 2023.

•In 2023, the completion rate was 88.8 per cent for primary education, 58.3 per cent for lower secondary education and 28.6 per cent for upper secondary education. The completion rate has remained relatively stable in recent years (in 2022, it was 88.6 per cent, 56.9 per cent and 28.9 per cent, respectively).

•The gross enrolment rate in pre-primary education rose from 42.2 per cent in 2021 to 45.4 per cent in 2022 and 46.6 per cent in 2023. For primary education, the enrolment rate was 119.5 per cent in 2021, 115.4 per cent in 2022 and 117.7 per cent in 2023.

4.2.Equity, gender and inclusion

53.In 2023, the gender parity index for primary school completion was 0.98, which shows that interventions to achieve universal primary enrolment are helping both girls and boys, although efforts must continue in order to bring it up to 1.

54.According to the 2017 multiple indicator cluster survey, round 6, of the women aged 15 to 49 surveyed, the national illiteracy rate is 53.9 per cent, of whom 27.4 per cent attended pre-primary education or never attended school and 26.5 per cent reached primary school. In rural areas, 66.6 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 surveyed were illiterate, with 37.9 per cent having attended pre-primary school and 28.7 per cent having reached primary school.

Gross enrolment ratio in secondary education, 2022/23

	Gross enrolment ratio in lower secondary (%)		Gross enrolment ratio in upper secondary (%)		Total gross enrolment ratio in secondary education (%)
Region	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
Grand Lomé	89.4	96.0	92.7	46.2	43.6	44.8	70.4	72.7	71.6
Maritime	97.1	89.6	93.4	52.9	40.2	46.6	80.1	70.7	75.4
Plateaux Est	73.2	61.2	67.3	36.5	25.3	31.0	59.1	47.4	53.4
Plateaux Ouest	75.2	60.6	67.7	37.1	25.8	31.2	60.1	46.6	53.2
Centrale	77.6	65.1	71.4	36.6	27.2	31.9	61.6	50.2	55.9
Kara	70.6	55.3	63.0	45.8	32.1	38.9	61.1	46.3	53.7
Savanes	58.1	48.4	53.2	28.0	19.2	23.6	47.0	37.6	42.3
Togo	79.1	71.9	75.5	41.8	33.0	37.4	64.3	56.4	60.3

Source: 2022/23 Yearbook of School Statistics.

4.3Employment

55.The Government has adopted a road map for the period 2020–2025. The road map has three main strategic thrusts, the second of which is “Stimulate job creation by building on the strengths of the economy”.

56.According to the 2017 integrated regional survey on employment and the informal sector in Togo, the unemployment rate in Togo was 3.9 per cent. The survey revealed that unemployment, as defined by the International Labour Office, particularly affected young people and, to an even greater extent, women. Those aged 25–34 accounted for 46.5 per cent of the unemployed population, of whom 51.7 per cent were women and 43.2 per cent were men. Those aged 15–24 accounted for 32 per cent of the unemployed population, of whom 35.8 per cent were women and 29.6 per cent were men.

57.Furthermore, the combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in Togo is 16.1 per cent (15.1 per cent for men and 17.0 per cent for women). This rate is higher among young people under 35 (by 21.7 per cent for those aged 15–24 and by 18.9 per cent for those aged 15–34), among people with tertiary education (by 23.3 per cent) and in Lomé (by 19.8 per cent), according to the same survey.

58.However, the general recruitment of civil servants and sectoral recruitment for certain ministries will help to reduce these rates. Challenges remain with regard to the proportion of the working population that is unemployed, which is an issue that requires greater attention.

59.At the institutional level, several mechanisms have been put in place to reduce unemployment and help young people to secure employment. These include the establishment of a specific ministry for youth employment, a fund to support youth economic initiatives, a national agency to promote and guarantee financing for small and medium-sized enterprises and industries, a national employment agency, which has been operational since 2010, a national agency for grass-roots development and an associated fund, and a delegation for the organization of the informal sector.

4.4Communication

60.The information on communication provided in the previous report remains valid. However, there has been an increase in the number of communication channels, with the exception of television channels, with a decrease of two channels. According to the High Audiovisual and Communications Authority, as of November 2020, there are:

•A total of 92 radio stations: 6 public stations, comprising 2 national stations (Lomé and Kara) and 4 rural stations (Kévé, Notsè, Pagouda and Dapaong), and 86 private commercial, religious and community radio stations (Autonomous District of Greater Lomé: 25; Maritime: 9; Plateaux: 19; Central: 11; Kara: 13; Savanes: 9)

•10 television channels (9 private and 1 State-owned)

•224 regular newspapers, including 2 in the interior of the country, and 5 dailies, of which 1 is official (Togo-Presse) and 4 are private (Liberté Hebdo, Forum de la Semaine, L’économiste du Togo and Togomatin)

5.Changes in the political and administrative structure

5.1Political changes

61.Act No. 2021-019 of 11 October 2021 amending Act No. 2012-002 of 29 May 2012 on the Electoral Code was adopted. In the presidential election held on 22 February 2020, the incumbent President and candidate of the Union pour la République party, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, was re-elected, winning 72 per cent of the vote in the first round.

62.In October 2020, a new Government was formed, led by the country’s first female prime minister, Victoire Tomegah Dogbé. Women hold 34.30 per cent of positions in the Government, including strategic portfolios such as defence. The overarching framework for the Government’s activities is the 2020–2025 road map.

63.In 2019, Organic Act No. 2019–023 of 26 December 2019 on the Constitutional Court was adopted and new members were appointed. In addition, in 2018, members of the National Assembly were elected. In 2024, members were appointed to the National Human Rights Commission, with four of the nine positions held by women. In 2023, members were appointed to the High Audiovisual and Communications Authority. Parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in 2024.

64.The High Office for Reconciliation and the Strengthening of National Unity was established in 2014. The Ombudsman was appointed in 2015.

5.2Administrative structure

65.The administrative structure changed with the adoption of Act No. 2021-020 of 11 October 2021 amending Act No. 207-011 of 13 March 2007 on decentralization and local freedoms.

66.Togo embarked on the process of decentralization by holding municipal elections on 30 June 2019, which led to the election of mayors and municipal councillors. Regional elections are scheduled for 2024.

6.General legal and institutional framework for the protection of human rights

67.In addition to the relevant human rights provisions contained in the Constitution of 14 October 1992, as amended by Act No. 2024-005 of 6 May 2024, the legal framework is reinforced by the following conventions and laws.

6.1Ratified conventions

68.Ratified conventions include:

•International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2014)

•International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (2020)

•1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons (2021)

•1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness (2021)

•Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Older Persons in Africa (2021)

6.2Legislative reforms

69.These include:

•Act No. 2021-021 of 11 October 2021 amending the Act establishing the conditions for the exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly and protest

•Act No. 2021-020 of 11 October 2021 amending Act No. 207-011 of 13 March 2007 on decentralization and local freedoms

•Organic Act No. 2021-015 of 3 August 2021 amending Organic Act No. 2018-006 of 20 June 2018 on the National Human Rights Commission

•Act No. 2021-012 of 18 June 2021 on the Labour Code

•Act No. 2020-007 of 26 June 2020 on school meals

•Act No. 2018-005 of 14 June 2018 on the Land and Property Code

•Act instituting the new Criminal Code (2015)

6.3.Judicial mechanisms

70.With respect to the justice system, the following should be noted:

•In the area of commercial justice, commercial divisions have been set up in the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeals in Lomé. In addition, procedures have been automated and simplified to reduce processing times and costs in commercial justice.

•In December 2017, Togo set up small claims courts for amounts of up to CFAF 1,000,000, with dedicated judges, to process small claims cases efficiently and swiftly and ease the backlog in commercial divisions.

•Legal advice centres (“maisons de justice”) have been established to strengthen the capacity of the traditional justice system and bring it closer to the people. Their role is to settle, through mediation and conciliation, minor debt collection cases and disputes that would otherwise clog up the court system.

•With respect to judicial security, the construction and renovation of facilities has improved the working environment for judges. In the area of legal certainty, a major effort has been made to modernize the country’s legislation by revising certain laws (new Criminal Code, Persons and Family Code, Death Penalty Abolition Act, etc.). In addition, a number of tools have been developed, such as the computerized prison management system and the legislative database (Legitogo).

•The establishment of the Training Centre for Legal Professions has strengthened the capacities of judges and court officers. Over 1,500 legal professionals (judges, lawyers, court clerks, bailiffs, notaries and auctioneers) were trained between 2010 and 2015, in accordance with recommendation 13 (c) of the Committee.

•Judicial oversight of administrative action has been implemented through the establishment of the Judicial and Prison Services Inspectorate, to ensure that the justice system runs smoothly.

•With respect to combating corruption in the justice sector, the Supreme Council of Justice has developed a directive on ethics and professional conduct for judges, which is intended to raise standards and inspire judges. On the basis of this code of ethics and professional conduct, several judges have been punished for serious misconduct. In addition, the status of judges has been reviewed, resulting in an upward revision of the salary scale.

6.4Means of redress

71.All the information contained in the previous report, in addition to the information under the heading “Judicial mechanisms”, remains valid.

6.5Non-judicial mechanisms

72.Non-judicial mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights include the Ministry of Human Rights, the Directorate General for the Protection of Children, the Directorate General for the Promotion of Women, the National Human Rights Commission, the High Audiovisual and Communications Authority, NGOs and associations that work to promote and protect human rights, the National Commission for Refugees, the Public Protector, created under the 2024 Constitution (Ombudsman), the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons, and the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture.

7.Place of international instruments in Togolese law

73.All the information provided in the previous report (p. 30) remains valid.

8.Information and dissemination

74.The State is continuing its efforts to ensure wide distribution of the Convention in the country’s various written languages, namely Ewé, Kabyè, Tem and Ifè.

III.Part two: information relating to articles 1–16 of the Convention

Article 1

Definition of discrimination and status of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

75.The definition of discrimination against women set out in article 1 of the Convention has been incorporated into article 311 of the new Criminal Code.

Article 2

Obligation to eliminate discrimination

1.Relevant laws

Recommendations 9, 10, 11, 15 (a) and 15 (b) of the Committee

76.Article 92 of the Constitution stipulates that:

Duly ratified or approved treaties and agreements shall, upon publication, take precedence over other laws, even those adopted subsequently, provided that the agreement or treaty concerned is implemented by the other party. The reciprocity reservation does not apply to international treaties on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The ordinary courts are competent to ensure that precedence is given to international treaties and agreements when, in the course of proceedings, it is claimed that the applicable legislative or regulatory provisions are contrary to the stipulations of an international treaty or agreement.

77.To give effect to the provisions of the Convention, Togo has begun the process of harmonizing its laws with the Convention.

78.A number of texts have been adopted to protect women and combat discrimination:

•The Persons and Family Code, revised in 2012 and amended in 2014 and in 2022, takes into account:

•Joint management of the household by both spouses (art. 99).

•Mandatory officiation of marriages by a civil registrar enables the Government to monitor compliance with the conditions required for marriages to be valid (arts. 73 and 74). It also provides protection for women, who can report any attempt at forced union to the officiating officer.

•The benefit of reciprocity in relations between spouses: the man and the woman in a couple have a duty to live in partnership, be faithful, and show each other respect and affection; they owe each other mutual assistance (arts. 97 and 98). Men and women must contribute to household and family expenses in proportion to their respective capabilities (art. 100).

•Protection of women in the event of dissolution of marriage: strict regulation of the effects of dissolution of marriage, especially as a result of death, now protects women against harmful decisions taken by their in-laws (art. 427).

•The application of the custom of the deceased only when it is consistent with human rights and the fundamental principles of the Constitution (art. 404 in fine).

•The right of the surviving spouse to refuse to undergo mourning rites that are degrading or detrimental to his or her dignity, even when such rites are part of the custom that applies to the deceased’s estate (art. 411).

•The beneficial change in the surviving spouse’s place in the deceased partner’s order of succession (arts. 428, 429 et seq.).

•In relation to marital rape, the Code specifies that sexual relations between spouses shall be free and consensual.

•Act No. 2015-10 of 24 November 2015 establishing the new Criminal Code:

•An entire paragraph of the Code is dedicated to discrimination against women (chap. VII, sect. 2, para. 2). Article 311 of the Code incorporates part of the definition of discrimination enshrined in article 1 of the Convention.

•According to the Code, “any act of discrimination against women shall be punishable by a prison sentence of 6 months to 2 years and by a fine of CFAF 500,000 to CFAF 2,000,000 or either one of those penalties” (art. 312).

•In addition:

Any person who prevents or prohibits a woman, on the grounds of her sex, from having access to land and the means of production and development, or hinders her freedom of movement or freedom to join and participate in meetings of associations, shall be punished by a prison term of 6 months to 2 years and a fine of CFAF 500,000 to CFAF 2,000,000, or one of these two penalties (art. 313).

•The Code incorporates the provisions set out in the draft bill revising the Criminal Code mentioned in paragraph 102 of the combined sixth and seventh periodic reports, in particular article 297 thereof, which stipulates that acts of discrimination against women in the following areas are punishable with the same penalties: equality in political and public life at the national and international levels; equality with respect to the laws on nationality; equality in education; equality of rights in employment and in the workplace; equality in access to healthcare; equality in legal matters; equality in respect of rights in the family; equality in respect of rights and access to credit and social security; and equality in respect of rural women’s rights to access to development.

•In response to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 21 (b), the Code also reinforces the Persons and Family Code by criminalizing widowhood practices deemed to be degrading, such as levirate and sororate (art. 411 of the Persons and Family Code). The evasion of responsibility for household expenses, abandonment of the family (arts. 376–378 of the new Criminal Code), refusal to pay child support (arts. 380 and 381 of the new Criminal Code) and denial of a woman’s access to land (art. 313 of the new Criminal Code) are all punishable by law.

•The Land and Property Code adopted in 2018 provides for equal rights for men and women in land matters (arts. 8, 13, 14 and 483). The Code, which regulates national land policy, enshrines fundamental principles such as the prohibition of gender-based discrimination in land matters, equity and justice, equal access to land, consultation and participation (art. 14).

•Article 225 of the Electoral Code, as amended by Act No. 2013-004 of 19 February 2013 and Act No. 2013-008 of 22 March 2013, reduces by half the deposit required for female candidates to participate in parliamentary elections with a view to further igniting women’s enthusiasm for political governance and significantly increasing their representation in the legislature.

•The provisions of the Labour Code on the equality of men’s and women’s rights that were mentioned in the combined sixth and seventh report remain valid:

•The General Statute of the Civil Service of 21 January 2013 provides for equality of opportunity for civil servants in relation to recruitment, career progression and retirement.

•Act No. 2019-006 of 26 June 2019, amending Act No. 2007-011 of 13 March 2007 on decentralization and local freedoms, as amended by Act No. 2018 of 13 January 2018, encourages citizen participation, including women’s participation, in the management of local affairs (title 1, chap. 3).

•Three of the five focal points appointed as members of the National Decentralization Monitoring Council by means of Decree No. 2017-048/PR of 31 March 2017 are women.

79.In terms of programmes, it is worth mentioning:

•Evaluation of the accelerated growth and employment creation strategy, a reference document for the period 2013–2017 that included notable equity and equality measures. To achieve the objectives of the strategy, the Government committed to:

•Strengthening women’s social standing and bolstering their role in the family and the community

•Boosting women’s productive capacity and income

•Strengthening women’s and men’s equal access to basic social services

•Promoting the equitable participation of men and women in the management of power and the elimination of gender-based violence.

•After the strategy, Togo drew up its national development plan, which covers the period 2018–2022. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are mentioned in the plan’s chapter on human development and social inclusion.

•In response to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 21, in 2019, Togo began updating its national policy on gender equality and equity and developing a strategic action plan.

•The national grass-roots development policy and the national social protection policy provide clear guidelines for incorporating gender equity and equality into the national agenda.

•The Sustainable Development Goals are incorporated into the various strategic planning programmes.

2.In practice

80.Progress has been made in applying the various laws in favour of women.

81.In terms of women’s participation in governance, the proportion of women parliamentarians in the National Assembly rose from 11.1 per cent in 2013 to 18.7 per cent in 2015 and 18.68 per cent in 2020, with women holding the positions of president, vice-president, quaestor, rapporteur and committee chairs. In the Government, 23.07 per cent of ministers were women in 2018; the proportion of women ministers rose to 26 per cent in 2019, with women in charge of strategic sectors. Today, the Government is headed by a woman and includes 12 women ministers (34.29 per cent of all ministers). In local governance, following the June 2019 municipal elections, 192 out of 1,527 members of town councils, or 12.57 per cent, are women, including 12 women mayors (10.25 per cent) and 20 deputy mayors. According to the 2017 public administration workforce analysis report, 19.3 per cent of civil servants are women.

82.The various actions carried out under the national policy on gender equality and equity have increased the gross school enrolment ratio for primary school girls from 125 per cent to 128 per cent. For the first cycle of secondary school, the ratio has risen to 71.8 per cent for girls and 83.2 per cent for boys, while for the second cycle of secondary school, the ratio is 20.8 per cent for girls and 39.9 per cent for boys (2017/18 Yearbook of School Statistics). Those actions have also improved the literacy rate among women aged 15–49 (46.1 per cent, according to the 2017 multiple indicator cluster survey).

83.Togo ranks first among the States members of the West African Economic and Monetary Union in terms of the proportion of girls enrolled in school (121.5 per cent).

84.With regard to violence against women, the third demographic and health survey, covering 2013/14, provided updated data on the different types of violence against women and their prevalence, with a view to improving intervention strategies. An online reporting application for gender-based violence counselling centres has also been set up.

85.With regard to the complete system for the collection of sex-disaggregated data in different areas, in addition to those mentioned in the previous report, there are other surveys, including of cross-border flows not registered in Togo (EFTNE-TOGO-2019) and general censuses of businesses (RGE 2017–2018). There is also an inter‑institutional coordination mechanism for the collection of sex-disaggregated data, composed of a national framework and regional frameworks for consultation and collaboration between actors in the gender and women’s advancement sector and the gender units of various ministerial departments.

86.The data produced are used to inform the drafting of gender sensitive strategy, policy and programme documents, such as the national development plan, the national policy on gender equality and equity, the national programme to combat AIDS and sexually transmitted infections among women, the national health policy and the education sector policy.

87.In response to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 17 (d), the national policy on gender equality and equity, which is currently being updated, and the strategic action plan for its implementation, serve as the reference framework for all women’s advancement measures in Togo. The policy has five strategic focus areas designed to eliminate discrimination against women and ensure equitable conditions for them in the domestic, professional and political arenas.

88.With regard to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 13 (a), in addition to the measures mentioned in the previous report, the Government has carried out a series of awareness-raising actions and developed tools to tackle discrimination and inequality. They include:

•A national programme to combat pregnancy and marriage among adolescent girls within and outside school settings, covering the period 2015–2019, updated in 2023

•Information, communication and education, and behavioural change communication activities tailored to support parent-child communication on sexual and reproductive health, supported by specially designed materials

•Measures to combat gender-based violence in counselling centres throughout the country

89.With regard to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 23 (b), the Government has taken action to implement the national strategy to combat gender-based violence, as well as various sectoral programmes. Those programmes involve encouraging women to report cases of violence, bringing perpetrators and accomplices to justice, providing protection to victims, ensuring legal remedies for and reintegration of victims, and implementing capacity-building measures and awareness-raising programmes for the security forces, lawyers, healthcare personnel, social workers, justice system actors and the public.

90.In the national development plan, the guiding document for development planning for the period 2018–2022, the Government has committed to improving women’s social status and economic power through a series of measures aimed at ensuring women’s effective enjoyment of their rights and access to productive resources.

91.Furthermore, in response to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 43, Togo is continuing to implement the provisions of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which reinforce the provisions of the Convention. It prepares periodic reports, the most recent of which dates from 2019.

92.With regard to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 48, Togo has focused on mobilizing both domestic and external resources to revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development and strengthen the partnership’s means of implementation through the national development plan for the period 2018–2022 and the Government’s road map for the period 2020–2025, taking into account Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development).

93.To meet the growing need for resources to finance development, Togo has maintained a steady pace of domestic resource mobilization, with growth averaging approximately 20 per cent, and has developed strategies to attract foreign direct investment.

2.1State institutions

94.The various State institutions described under article 2 in the previous combined report (sect. 2.1, pp. 22 and 23) are still in place. New ministries for grass-roots development and financial inclusion, which also promote women’s advancement, have been created.

2.2Non-governmental organizations and associations

95.With regard to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 23 (c), in addition to the 200 NGOs and associations mentioned in the previous report (p. 23, para. 112), in 2020 there were approximately 100 new ones working alongside the Government to promote women’s rights and gender equality.

3.Discrimination and justice

96.In terms of justice, the information contained in the previous combined report under article 2, section 3, remains valid. In response to the recommendation contained in paragraph 13 (b), in addition to the existing legal framework, the Government has incorporated women’s access to justice into the revised Criminal Code. Other initiatives include:

•The Head of State has established 14 legal advice centres in order to facilitate local justice that is both efficient and free of charge. The centres are helpful and unique in that they offer reconciliation and mediation as alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Steps are being taken to set up legal advice centres throughout the country.

•With the support of the United Nations Development Programme, the Directorate for Access to Justice and the Law of the Ministry of Justice has launched a volunteer programme aimed at providing legal assistance to vulnerable groups. The aim of the programme is to strengthen respect for the fundamental rights of the most vulnerable through the speedy implementation of a legal and judicial aid system for vulnerable groups and the poorest, including women and girls.

•A pilot institutional reception, information and referral system for litigants in the courts of first instance of Lomé and Kara was established in 2012 and 2013, which has improved women’s access to justice.

Female genital mutilation

97.According to the third demographic and health survey, covering 2013/14, and the 2017 multiple indicator cluster survey, between 2014 and 2017 the rate of female genital mutilation fell from 5.0 to 3.1 per cent among women aged 15 to 49 years and from 1.0 to 0.3 per cent among children up to 14 years of age.

98.A series of measures have been taken to put an end to discrimination against women. They include:

•The national programme to combat pregnancy and marriage among adolescent girls

•The national programme to combat violence against women and girls, which includes measures for prevention and access to justice

•The programme to establish women’s centres, aimed at ensuring a comprehensive approach to gender issues

•The development of traditional, Christian and Muslim arguments against gender-based violence

•The solemn commitment of traditional and religious leaders to seek to combat traditional practices that harm children through the Notsè Declaration of 2013, and their further commitment through the Togblékopé Declaration of 2016, which contains an emphasis on child marriage (recommendation of the Committee contained in para. 41 (d))

99.Efforts to raise the awareness of and educate women and men have continued, in line with the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 13 (a), 31 (a) and 41 (e). Activities have mainly been conducted as part of the commemoration of the days dedicated to women and girls, with the support and participation of civil society organizations.

100.With regard to the recommendation contained in paragraph 9, in order to encourage parliament to take the necessary steps to implement the Convention, workshops aimed at raising awareness of the Committee’s concluding observations have been organized for stakeholders including parliamentarians, legal officers, prefects, traditional chiefs, religious leaders, associations and NGOs that focus on women’s rights, and media professionals in the six regions. Those actions have enabled the parliament to pass several pieces of legislation in favour of women.

Article 3

Development and advancement of women

Laws and other texts

101.Between 2014 and 2024, laws were adopted and amended to strengthen gender equality and women’s empowerment. They include:

•The Persons and Family Code, revised in 2012 and amended in 2014 and then in 2022

•Act No. 2015-10 of 24 November 2015 establishing the new Criminal Code, amended in 2022

•Act No. 2022-20 of 2 December 2022 on the protection of learners against sexual violence

•Decree No. 0316/MFPTDS of 2 February 2024, prohibiting discrimination, sexual harassment, violence and intimidation at work and in workplaces

•Act No. 2018-005 of 14 June 2018, establishing the Land and Property Code, which guarantees women the same access to land ownership as men (see arts. 8, 13, 14 and 483)

•Decree No. 2017-048/PR of 31 March 2017, appointing members of the National Decentralization Monitoring Council. Of the five focal points appointed by the President of the Republic, three are women.

Policies

102.The policies currently being implemented are:

•The national development plan for the period 2018–2022, of which effect No. 5 under focus area No. 3 relates to the continued promotion of gender equity and equality, the empowerment of women and their effective participation in decision-making at all levels of the development process.

•The agriculture policy for the period 2016–2030, which addresses the issue of women’s access to productive resources.

•The national policy on gender equality and equity and its implementation strategy (July 2019).

•The national school feeding policy (2013), which contributes to girls’ enrolment and retention in, and completion of, primary education.

•The national grass-roots development policy.

•The project for the empowerment of rural women in Togo.

•The Novissi universal income solidarity programme, established by the Government to support people whose sources of income might have been affected by the various measures put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 1,379,835 people have been registered, and there are 567,002 programme beneficiaries, of whom 370,654 are women and 196,348 are men. The beneficiaries have received a total amount of CFAF 11,362,973,000.

•The Youth Economic Initiative Support Fund, which has provided young aspiring entrepreneurs with tools and financing for their business plans, as follows:

•2018: 2,963 young people, including 415 women

•2019: 2,301 young people, including 690 women

•2020: 2,625 young people, including 394 women

•The National Fund for Inclusive Finance, the aim of which is to establish financial mechanisms to support efforts to achieve the financial inclusion of vulnerable groups. Between 2017 and 30 June 2021, a total of 282,867 persons, including 132,370 women, benefited from the Fund’s activities (www.fnfi.tg).

•The Youth Economic Initiative Support Fund. From 2018 to 2020, the Fund helped to equip and finance 7,889 young entrepreneurs, of whom 1,499 were women.

•A social safety net and basic services project, which contributes to ensuring that the poorest communities receive a minimum level of basic socioeconomic services in the areas of primary education, basic healthcare, water, sanitation and social protection. It is being implemented nationwide.

•School canteens, which provide hot meals for over 200,000 students annually.

•Between 2017 and 2020, 60,419 households received cash transfers, amounting to a total of CFAF 5,507,942,585. A total of 57,825 women received cash transfers, amounting to CFAF 5,271,467,253.

•Between 2018 and 2020, 173 associations were established, with 4,098 members, of whom 3,669 were women.

•A total of 350 multipurpose hubs have been set up in villages to facilitate income-generating activities by women’s associations.

Article 4

Enhancement of equality between men and women

103.Togo has resolutely invested in the following initiatives to ensure gender equality and women’s empowerment:

•Establishment of private sector support structures to help women entrepreneurs and other working women take full advantage of entrepreneurship and job creation opportunities in the formal sector.

•Implementation in Togo of the Economic Community of West African States project called “50 Million African Women Speak”, which is intended to facilitate the empowerment of women through the creation of a virtual platform for networking, sharing and access to financial and other information for the purposes of entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

•Awarding of 20 per cent of government contracts to young entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs in 2018, in order to promote women’s entrepreneurship. The proportion rose to 25 per cent in 2019.

•Construction of urban roads and rural tracks to improve access to remote areas and facilitate the transport and sale of agricultural products, mostly by women.

•Provision of mechanical and electrical equipment to women’s associations to support their economic activities.

•Launch of a project to support the financial inclusion of vulnerable women (women living with HIV, widows, porters, women who have been treated for obstetric fistula and women with disabilities) in July 2017. The number of women supported through this project totalled 3,500 in 2019, 5,655 in 2020 and 6,609 as of June 2021.

Article 5

Gender roles and stereotypes

104.In addition to the achievements for women resulting from the 2012 revision of the Persons and Family Code, the subsequent amendments in 2014 and in 2022 strengthened equality between men and women in terms of marriage and inheritance rights. However, there is no comprehensive strategy for dealing with stereotypes and dangerous practices. Nevertheless, certain aspects are taken into account by the national policy on gender equality and equity.

Matrimonial relationships

105.Pursuant to the 2014 amendment, the family is managed by both spouses (article 99). Similarly, the family home is chosen by mutual agreement of the spouses. Sexual relations between spouses are free and consensual.

106.Sexual intercourse as a result of one spouse’s use of violence, coercion or threats against another is punishable by a fine of CFAF 200,000–CFAF 1,000,000 or 720 hours of community service. In the event of a repeat offence, the penalty is 10 to 12 months’ imprisonment and a fine of CFAF 1 million to CFAF 5 million (art. 212 of the new Criminal Code of November 2015).

107.With regard to the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 21 (a) and (b), the Togolese legislature has made the rules regarding polygamy stricter through the revised Persons and Family Code. Article 59 stipulates that “(...) where the spouses have opted for a polygamous marriage, the civil registrar shall inform them that only the common law regime of separation of assets is applicable to them, and that they may under no circumstances change the terms governing their marriage without having renounced polygamy”.

108.Under articles 341 et seq. of the Criminal Code, forced marriage is recognized as a punishable form of violence, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 21 (b) and 23 (a). It should be noted, however, that the Persons and Family Code does not regulate cohabitation, which does not give rise to any rights or obligations.

Inheritance matters

109.The Persons and Family Code protects women and girls against discrimination linked to customary practices, by giving precedence to modern law in the event of a disagreement or conflict with custom (arts. 403, 404 and 510).

110.The Criminal Code defines and punishes offences relating to discrimination against women, and protects women against all forms of gender-based discrimination, including in connection with the right to land, freedom of movement and political rights (arts. 311, 312 and 313).

111.With regard to the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 23 (a) on combating female genital mutilation, the information provided in relation to article 2 is valid.

Article 6

Ending the exploitation of women

112.The information given in the combined sixth and seventh reports remains valid.

113.In order to strengthen the initiatives already under way, details of which were given in the previous combined reports (pp. 27–31, paras. 136–169), the Government and its local partners, with the support of technical and financial partners, have taken new measures and steps to combat the exploitation of women.

1.Trafficking in girls and women

114.Trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants are addressed in articles 317–326 of the new Criminal Code. Under article 317 of the Code, trafficking is defined in accordance with the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 25 (b).

115.The decree on the establishment, responsibilities, organization and functioning of the National Commission to Combat Trafficking in Persons was signed on 29 September 2021. The Commission has been operational since its members were appointed in January 2022.

116.In accordance with the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 23 and 33 (a), Togo has made efforts in several areas to combat trafficking in women and girls. For instance:

•Reporting hotlines have been set up for victims of gender-based violence (8284) and for violence in schools (8250)

•Migrant women are taken into account in the implementation of the national strategy on labour migration (2018–2022)

•Since 2018, community awareness-raising on trafficking in persons, including trafficking in children, has been stepped up through annual campaigns

•Since 2017, training has been provided for legal officers, social workers, labour inspectors, law enforcement personnel and security forces on trafficking in persons and related matters such as migrant smuggling and the national legal framework for combating trafficking in persons

117.Data from the child protection dashboards show that in 2013, 3,441 children were victims of trafficking, of whom 2,139 were trafficked across a border. In 2016, 2,332 children were victims, with 1,723 cases of cross-border trafficking.

2.Sexual exploitation and prostitution of girls and women

2.1Girls

118.Pursuant to article 224 of the new Criminal Code, any act of paedophilia is punishable by 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of CFAF 25 million to CFAF 50 million.

119.With regard to violence against girls, reference should be made to the provisions protecting children in general, in particular article 192 of the Labour Code, as contained in Act No. 2021-012 of 18 June 2021, and Decree No. 1556/MFPTRAPS of 22 May 2020, identifying dangerous work that children may not perform.

120.Article 192 of the Labour Code provides that: “Without prejudice to the provisions on apprenticeships, children of neither sex may be employed in any undertaking or establishment or carry out any form of work, even on their own behalf, before the age of 15, unless an exception is made by decree of the Minister for Employment, adopted on the advice of the National Labour Council, and taking into consideration local circumstances and the tasks which may be required of them...”.

121.In accordance with that provision, the Government adopted Decree No. 1556/MFPTRAPS of 22 May 2020, identifying dangerous work that children are prohibited from performing.

2.2Women

122.Togo has a strong legal framework on the exploitation of women for prostitution. Title II of the new Criminal Code, entitled “Offences against persons”, is dedicated to punishing prostitution in all its forms, trafficking in persons for the purpose of exploitation, and offences that cause physical harm, regardless of the victim’s gender. It also expands the set of actions that constitute crimes and toughens penalties for soliciting for the purposes of prostitution and procurement.

Article 7

Participation of women in political and public life

123.The answers relating to the efforts of Togo to advance women’s political rights reported in relation to article 2 are valid.

124.It should also be noted that a number of initiatives have been taken to improve women’s participation in political and public life. In that regard, and in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 27 (b), it is worth mentioning:

•A case was made for gender parity in elected office and political parties were persuaded to include women on their electoral lists for the legislative and local elections.

•Awareness-raising and capacity-building for stakeholders (awareness-raising for political parties about gender equality and women’s participation in decision-making, training in leadership skills and communication techniques for potential female political candidates).

•Drawing up and implementation of a national programme for women’s political leadership and a national programme for women’s professional leadership. A total of 712 women have been trained.

•Establishment of a professional leadership platform to enable women to share their experiences and challenges, as well as optimal strategies.

•Creation of a women’s skills database to make it easier for decision-makers to find female talent for positions of responsibility.

•A political academy for young women leaders (2018–2021) aimed at building women’s political skills. The academy trained 132 women in its 2018 cycle.

•Launch of the 2019–2023 Equality for Girls national campaign, intended to bring about a social shift towards equality for women and girls.

•Implementation of the “Women Running for Town Councillor” project, which helped to improve the campaigning skills of 219 women candidates in the 2019 municipal elections.

125.As an incentive, additional funding has also been awarded to political parties that nominate women candidates.

Government

126.At the executive level, the current Government, which is headed by a woman, has a total of 35 ministers, of whom 12, or 34.30 per cent, are women, thus exceeding the 30 per cent quota recommended by the African Union. Women lead several strategic ministries, such as the ministries responsible for the digital economy, grass-roots development, mining, public works and trade.

127.Two women are chiefs of staff of ministerial departments, and three women are secretaries-general (one at the Office of the President of the Republic, having the rank of Minister, and two in ministerial departments).

National Assembly

128.The National Assembly is chaired by a woman, and 17 of its 91 members are women (18.68 per cent). Women hold the positions of president, vice-president, quaestor, rapporteur and committee chairs.

Local governance

129.At the local level, 192 out of 1,527 town councillors are women (12.57 per cent). Out of 117 mayors in Togo, 12 are women (10.25 per cent), and out of 175 deputy mayors, 20 are women (11.42 per cent).

Institutions

130.Some institutions, including the High Office for Reconciliation and the Strengthening of National Unity and the Office of the Mediator, are headed by women.

Public universities

131.At the two public universities, two women hold the positions of First Vice-President and Registrar.

Traditional authorities

132.In terms of traditional chiefdoms, there are currently 3 women cantonal chiefs out of 387 and 3 women village chiefs out of 4,487.

133.With regard to women’s role in the defence and security forces, it should be noted that a woman headed the Ministry of the Armed Forces from 2020 to 2023.

134.There are 1,021 women in the police force, at the following levels:

•Commissioners: 28

•Officers: 32

•Non-commissioned officers: 940

•Civilian staff: 21

135.In 2024, women account for 8.5 per cent of the armed forces of Togo, which is comprised of the Gendarmerie Nationale and the Army. Since 2014, women members of the armed forces and security forces have also been deployed in peacekeeping operations.

136.With regard to women’s involvement in the various political and sociopolitical crisis-management forums, the High Office for Reconciliation and the Strengthening of National Unity, for example, has three members, including two women, one of whom is the institution’s President.

Article 8

Representation of women in the diplomatic corps and international organizations

137.There are women diplomats working in the embassies of Togo in countries such as Switzerland, Belgium, the United States of America (Washington, D.C. and New York), Gabon, the United Kingdom, Ethiopia and Morocco. However, they do not hold senior positions.

138.Togo has women representatives to the Human Rights Committee, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

139.The information provided in the combined sixth and seventh reports on women’s representation in international organizations remains valid.

Article 9

Nationality of women

140.In addition to the information provided in the combined sixth and seventh reports, which is still relevant, it should be noted that the Persons and Family Code, revised in 2012 and amended in 2014 and again in 2022, allows a woman to retain the nationality she has acquired through marriage, even in the event of a divorce (art. 149), unless a judge decides to the contrary.

141.In 2021, Togo acceded to the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 1954 and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness of 1961, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 29 (b).

Article 10

Education

142.A number of measures have been taken, including the revision of the education sector plan for the period 2010–2020, to cover the period 2014–2025. The status of women’s education in 2015 and 2019 is as follows:

Women’s education status index

	Girls		Boys		Ratio
Indicators	2015	2019	2015	2019	2015	2019
Gross preschool enrolment ratio	20.1	37.8	19.1	36.7	1.05	37.3
Gross primary school enrolment ratio	93.4	120.8	95.2	125	0.98	122.8
Gross school enrolment ratio – first cycle of secondary	59.8	70.3	75.9	83.4	0.79	76.87
Gross school enrolment ratio – second cycle of secondary	12.2	24.2	24.7	41.4	0.49	32.8
Gross school enrolment ratio – higher education	30.05	34.53	69.95	65.47	0.43	0.53
Percentage of pupils starting grade 1 and completing primary education	83.2	84.3	87.0	88.7	0.96	86.5

Source: Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and Vocational Training: Togo education dashboard, 2015 and 2019 indicators (data collected in 2020).

143.The literacy rate for people aged 15 to 49 is 70.4 per cent for men and 46.1 per cent for women (2017 multiple indicator cluster survey).

1.Organization of the education system

144.The information on the organization of the Togolese education system at different levels remains unchanged.

1.1Primary education

145.Primary education covers children between the ages of 6 and 11. According to the 2015 basic indicators of well-being survey, 84.8 per cent of children in the aforementioned age bracket are in school. The same survey also shows that more boys (86.3 per cent) than girls (13.6 per cent) attend primary school.

Primary gross enrolment ratios by sex and region, 2014–2015 and 2018–2020

	2014–2015		2018–2020
Region	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
Lomé-Golfe	123%	121%	122%	137%	142.7%	139.6%
Maritime	144%	151%	147%	147%	139.9%	143.6%
Plateaux	122%	124%	123%	123%	118.1%	120.8%
Centrale	128%	134%	131%	119%	114%	116.6%
Kara	115%	117%	116%	111%	105.5%	108.1%
Savanes	118%	112%	115%	104%	94.69%	99.53%
Togo	127%	127%	127%	125%	120.8%	122.8%

Source: Education dashboards; 2014/15 and 2018/19 indicators.

Rates of promotion, repetition and completion of primary, by sex, 2014–2019

	2014/15		2018/19
	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
Promotion rate	79.3	78.6	78.9	83.3	83.4	83.4
Repetition rate	9.5	9.5	9.5	8.0	7.7	7.9
Primary completion rate	87.0	83.0	85.0	88.7	84.3	86.5

Source: Education dashboards; 2014–2019 indicators. See 2012 onwards.

146.According to the data in the table above, the promotion and repetition rates for boys and girls have been nearly equal over the last five years, which can be attributed to the reforms and the various initiatives and efforts undertaken over the last few years, such as the project on education and strengthening institutions.

147.The primary school completion rate has ranged from 85 per cent to 94 per cent over the last five years for both boys and girls. That is a result of various efforts to ensure that children, and girls in particular, keep attending school, such as the school canteen programmes.

1.2Secondary education

148.Secondary education is for those aged between 12 and 18. The attendance rate for secondary school is lower than the rate for primary. The overall secondary attendance rate is 49.1 per cent (55.2 per cent for boys and 42.0 per cent for girls).

Enrolment and repetition rates by sex, 2012/13 and 2019/20

2012/13		2019/20
Collège (lower secondary)
Total enrolment		Repetitions		Repetition rate (%)		Total enrolment		Repetitions		Repetition rate (%)
Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
150 369	79 389	26 450	13 955	17.57	17.59	187 106	108 967	44 089	26 515	23.56	24.33
Lycée (upper secondary)
34 762	9 256	10 015	2 543	28.81	27.47	60 582	20 250	18 822	5 949	31.06	29.37

Examination results by sex, 2012 and 2020

School leaving certificate (BEPC)
June 2012		June 2020
Candidates		Passes		Pass rate (%)		Candidates		Passes		Pass rate (%)
Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
23 741	10 597	16 570	6 066	69.79	57.24	37 685	19 428	21 371	8 527	56.70	43.89
Baccalaureate, second part
June 2012		June 2020
9 326	2 374	1 968	517	26.10	21.77	28 282	8 156	10 209	2 785	36.09	34.46

Source: Yearbook of School Statistics, 2012/13 and 2019/20.

149.According to data from the 2018/19 Yearbook of School Statistics, there are gender-related disparities in terms of access to the first cycle of secondary school. The rate of access for boys is 75.5 per cent, versus 67.8 per cent for girls, while the overall rate of access is 71.7 per cent. There are 86 girls for every 100 boys in the first cycle of secondary. Efforts to reduce the gender disparity are ongoing. In almost all regions, the preschool attendance rate was higher among girls than among boys in 2019. The increase in enrolment is more noteworthy among girls in all educational regions, averaging 5.1 per cent for girls versus 3.7 per cent for boys. The gross primary enrolment ratio was 122.8 per cent in 2018/19. Between 2012 and 2017, the net enrolment rate rose from 84.0 per cent (82.2 per cent for girls and 85.5 per cent for boys) to 93.8 per cent (93.6 per cent for girls and 94.0 per cent for boys). Those results are due in part to a series of measures.

1.2.1Access to public social services in schools and other educational establishments

150.Through the ministry responsible for primary and secondary education, as well as technical and financial partners, the Government has put in place initiatives aimed at facilitating students’ access to safe drinking water and sanitation services and their management of menstrual hygiene, particularly in schools and other places of education or training. Such initiatives include:

•The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All (WASH) programme in schools, which has a focus on water, sanitation and hand-washing facilities, as well as hygiene education

•The project on education and strengthening institutions, aimed at building well-equipped education and healthcare facilities. The project has enabled the construction of separate modern latrines (for girls and boys) with water points and the provision of sanitary pads.

151.In 2018, 23 per cent of schools (25 per cent of urban schools and 21 per cent of rural schools) had improved, gender-segregated and functional latrines (Joint Monitoring Programme, 2018).

1.2.2Strengthening of measures to enable girls to continue their education in the event of pregnancy or maternity

152.In response to the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 31 (b) and (g) and 35 (e), Togo and its partners have taken a number of measures to promote girls’ education and combat all the scourges that prevent them from progressing and staying in school. Such measures include:

•The establishment of the national programme to combat pregnancy and marriage among adolescent girls within and outside school settings, 2015–2019, which aims to reduce the rate of early pregnancy in schools. The programme was updated in 2023.

•A plan to combat adolescent pregnancy, especially in secondary schools.

•A mechanism for reporting those responsible for early pregnancies to the justice system.

•Compulsory provision of health education in schools on preventing AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. To that end, manuals have been developed, and monitors and teachers have been trained.

153.By resolution No. 033/MEPSTA/CAB/SG of 21 March 2022, Togo repealed circular No. 8478/MEN-RS of 15 December 1978, which excluded pregnant girls from school.

154.The sectoral education policy for the period 2014–2025 prohibits all forms of violence in schools. In addition, the education sector had a national strategy to combat violence in schools for the period 2018–2022. From 2015 to 2020, relevant skills training was provided to a total of 666 people, including 400 women. In addition, cantonal and communal community action plans to combat adolescent pregnancy and marriage have been drawn up. From 2015 to 2021, a total of 99 plans were drawn up and training was provided to 540 people, including 327 women.

Sexual harassment in schools and training establishments

155.The information on sexual harassment in the previous combined reports remains valid. In addition, the Government and gender equality organizations are taking concerted action to step up the fight against sexual harassment in schools and training establishments, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 31 (c).

•Existing legal provisions protect women against sexual harassment in the workplace.

•Issues related to violence against girls and women are being gradually incorporated into primary and secondary course outlines and curricula.

•There is a national programme to combat violence against women and girls.

156.A national scoping study on gender-based violence in schools was conducted in 2016. On the basis of the study, measures have been taken to combat gender-based and other forms of violence in schools.

1.3Higher education

157.The information given in the previous combined reports (pp. 39–40, paras. 206–208) is still valid.

Total enrolment and enrolment disaggregated by sex, 2012 and 2020

	2012		2020
Type of institution	Women	Men	Total	Women	Men	Total
Public university	14 569	45 670	60 239	29 087	57 893	86 980
Private university	236	346	582	290	312	602
Non-university public institution	637	2 062	2 699	1 401	3 547	4 948
Non-university private institution	2 657	3 924	6 581	11 552	13 232	24 784
Total	18 099	52 002	70 101	42 330	74 984	117 314

Source: University directorate for academic affairs and admissions.

2.Informal education system

Recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 31 (f)

158.According to the multiple indicator cluster survey 2017, round 6, based on the women aged 15 to 49 who were surveyed, the national illiteracy rate for women was 53.9 per cent. Of those surveyed, 27.4 per cent had attended pre-primary or had never attended school, and 26.5 per cent had completed primary school.

159.The rural illiteracy rate for women was 66.6 per cent, based on the women aged 15 to 49 who were surveyed, with 37.9 per cent having attended pre-primary school and 28.7 per cent having completed primary school.

160.There were disparities in the literacy rate according to several variables. Nationally, the survey showed that men were more literate than women across all age groups, with overall literacy rates of 76.7 per cent for men and 51 per cent for women. The urban literacy rate was 79.8 per cent, compared with a rural rate of 49.2 per cent.

161.The goals of the Government for the informal education sector, as set out in the accelerated growth and employment creation strategy, were to bring the literacy rate up to 72.7 per cent by 2017 and to increase the provision of literacy training by involving civil society and the private sector. Under the national development plan, efforts to support literacy and informal education will be bolstered, with a particular focus on illiterate girls and women, especially in rural areas.

162.A national strategy was drawn up and validated in January 2014 and is being implemented through a decentralized education strategy for the period 2014–2025.

163.Other action taken to enhance literacy and informal education includes:

•The revision of literacy and post-literacy curricula in April 2014, taking into account the specific needs of target groups, especially women

•Literacy courses for women’s associations engaged in agricultural, pastoral and crafts activities

•An exceptional government grant, in 2014, for the functional literacy of 1,200 women

•The development of a platform-based functional literacy programme

•The integration of literacy into local development plans

•The integration of national languages into the work of maintenance technicians for agricultural machinery and equipment

•Training courses on simplified accounting and the management of income-generating activities for newly literate women who are members of women’s productive associations

•The training of approximately 150 supervisors and literacy trainers on mainstreaming gender into literacy programmes

Article 11

Employment

1.Equal access to employment

164.The information given in the previous combined reports on page 40, paragraph 217, is still valid.

2.Sexual harassment in the workplace

165.The information given in the previous combined reports on page 41, paragraph 225, concerning the fight against discrimination in respect of employment and occupation in general, and sexual harassment in the workplace in particular, is still valid.

166.The new Labour Code of 2021 prohibits all forms of sexual harassment and provides that no employee shall be dismissed or punished for resisting or denouncing any action amounting to harassment on the part of the employer, his or her representatives or any other person (art. 40).

167.In addition, the new Criminal Code covers sexual harassment and punishes anyone guilty of such offence (arts. 399 and 400), while Order 0316/MFPTDS of 2 February 2024 prohibits discrimination and sexual and moral harassment, violence or intimidation in professional settings and in places of work.

3.Equal remuneration

168.The information given on page 42, paragraph 226, of the previous combined reports remains valid.

4.Right to free choice of occupation

169.The Persons and Family Code, revised in 2012 and amended in 2014, recognizes the right of each spouse to freely exercise the occupation of his or her choice (art. 107).

5.Right to promotion

170.The information contained in the previous combined reports on page 42, paragraph 233, remains valid. Furthermore, efforts have been made to promote women’s access to the civil service (see information in the “Equal access to employment” section).

6.Stability of employment

171.In addition to the information provided in the previous combined reports on page 42, paragraph 235, it is worth noting that there are ongoing initiatives to promote job stability.

172.In this regard, 15,493 assistant teachers, of whom 2,992 were women (19.31 per cent), were integrated into the civil service.

173.Sexual harassment, including in the workplace, is punishable under the provisions of the Labour Code and the Criminal Code.

7.Retirement age

174.There have been no new developments in respect of the retirement age. The information contained in the previous combined reports on page 43, paragraphs 237 to 239, is therefore still valid. In addition, the retirement bonus was reinstated from January 2020.

8.Right to vocational training

175.The information contained in the previous combined reports on page 43, paragraph 240, remains valid. In addition, new national schools for paramedics, midwives and teachers have been set up in all regions of the country. Furthermore, two agropastoral schools have been established in Barkoissi and Elavagnon, and a school focused on construction was established in Lomé. A training centre for industrial occupations was also established on 4 May 2016. These institutions are accessible to women and girls.

9.Social benefits, social security and retirement benefits

176.With regard to social security, new measures have been taken to improve social security for vulnerable groups (systematic reporting of trainees, employees of small and medium-sized enterprises, etc. to the national social security fund), in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 33 (b).

177.The compulsory health insurance scheme for public officials and other employees, instituted by Act No. 2011–003 of 18 February 2011, has been operational since March 2012. This scheme covers illness, non-occupational accidents and illnesses, and maternity care for active and retired public servants and their dependants (spouses and children).

178.The National Health Insurance Institute, which oversees the scheme, covers the fees for the following, based on the third-party payer principle:

•Consultations, hospitalization, medication, and medical, surgical and paramedical procedures

•Biomedical analyses and medical imaging tests

•Care services related to pregnancy and childbirth

•Compulsory vaccinations and equipment

179.State employees benefit from a special bonus of CFAF 6,500 and a 5 per cent raise based on the wage index. Staff in the health and education sectors benefit from specific bonuses linked to their duties (contagion, risk, on-call, library, teaching bonus).

180.It is also worth noting that the ceiling on promotions for officials in the public sector was eliminated. The minimum guaranteed interprofessional wage and the guaranteed minimum agricultural wage were increased from CFAF 35,000 to CFAF 52,500 as from 1 January 2023, regardless of gender.

181.A number of significant measures have been taken in relation to care for persons with disabilities.

Old-age pensions in the public and private sectors

182.The information contained in the previous combined reports on page 44, paragraphs 243 and 244, is still valid. Furthermore, increases to the wage index have an impact on pensions, regardless of gender, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 33 (d).

Pensions of widows and widowers of civil servants

183.The information contained in the previous combined reports on page 44, paragraphs 245 to 247, is still valid.

10.Health protection of civil servants and workers

10.1In public administration

184.The information provided in the combined sixth and seventh combined reports, on page 44, paragraphs 248 to 251, is still valid. In addition, it is worth noting that the National Health Insurance Institute was established; it insures civil servants and their dependants by reducing treatment costs and covering the full costs of certain conditions, regardless of gender. The Government’s goal remains the expansion of health coverage to achieve universal health coverage that is unconditionally accessible to the entire population. Actions to reach that goal are already under way.

Protection of workers’ health

185.The information provided in the previous combined reports on page 44, paragraphs 252 to 255, remains valid. In addition, health coverage was extended to artisans and students at public universities; an agreement was concluded with employers to offer coverage to employees in the private sector; and a project was launched to extend health coverage to workers in the informal sector, most of whom are women.

Day-care services

186.The information provided in the previous combined reports on page 44, paragraph 265, remains valid.

Situation of women employed as domestic workers, and migrant women

187.The information provided in previous combined reports, on page 45, paragraph 261, and in the replies of Togo to the list of issues and questions to be taken up in connection with the consideration of its periodic reports (CEDAW/C/TGO/6-7/Add.1), on page 15, reply to paragraph 14 (employment), remain valid.

188.With regard to the specific case of migrant women, the ratification by Togo of the Migrant Workers (Supplementary Provisions) Convention, 1975 (No. 143) of the International Labour Organization facilitates the management and regulation of irregular migration.

189.Togo has drafted a national strategy for professional migration (2018–2022), and efforts to implement the strategy take into account migrant women.

Women in the informal sector and problems encountered

190.The information provided in the previous combined reports on page 54, paragraph 262, is still valid. Furthermore, a number of measures are being taken to improve the situation for such women. They include:

•Support for women in the informal sector in obtaining administrative documents such as birth certificates and certificates of nationality;

•Support for such women in the process of formalizing their businesses (business operator cards), etc.

Women entrepreneurs

191.In addition to the information provided in the previous combined reports on page 46, paragraphs 263 and 264, which remains valid, it should be noted that various programmes and projects to support women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment have been implemented. These include the project to support economic activities of women’s groups, the project to support agricultural development in Togo, the West African Agricultural Productivity Project, the Planned Agricultural Development Zone Project, the “Young Women for Agriculture” 2015 Project, the financing of a women’s innovation and training centre in the town of Dapaong and seven processing units in rural areas, a savings and credit cooperative project involving some 26,000 women in the Kozah region, the grass-roots development support programme, the national rural entrepreneurship promotion project, the national fund for inclusive finance, the project to support youth employability and integration in growth sectors, the agricultural financing incentive mechanism, the project to support the financial inclusion of vulnerable women and the project to empower rural women in Togo.

Article 12

Equal access to medical services

1.Health situation

1.1Structure of the health system in Togo

192.The information on the structure of the healthcare system provided in the combined sixth and seventh reports is still accurate. Under the decentralization process, whereby 117 communes have become operational, another division is planned to organize coverage for the entire country and to facilitate access to health services and monitoring of health.

1.2Health infrastructure

193.In 2016, there were 1,224 healthcare establishments in Togo, including 504 private healthcare establishments and 261 pharmaceutical establishments, to meet the population’s need for health treatment and preventive and promotional services.

Distribution of health facilities, by type and region, 2020

Type of essential health facility	Lomé-Commune	Maritime	Plateaux	Centrale	Kara	Savanes	Total
Regional hospital	1	1	1	1	1	1	6
University hospital	2	0	0	0	1	0	3
Hospital I	42	15	7	3	5	5	77
Hospital II	6	3	11	2	3	3	28
Specialized hospital	2	1	1	0	0	1	5
Medical clinic	26	1	4	7	8	6	52
Outlying healthcare unit I	129	147	192	99	115	77	759
Outlying healthcare unit II	93	93	70	24	31	20	331
Other	48	10	13	1	2	2	76
Total	349	271	299	137	166	115	1 337

Source: DPCS 2020 report.

1.3Human resources

194.The number of personnel in the public health sector as at 31 December 2017 was 11,152, compared with 10,188 in 2016, representing an increase of 964 staff members. This total, which includes all categories of workers, decreased in 2018, to 10,911, and increased to 11,555, as at 31 December 2019.

Source: DRH 2019 report, correlation of population / ratio of health personnel from 2015 to 2019.

195.The figure shows that, despite the Government’s efforts to recruit staff and build health centres, the country’s health sector faces a number of challenges, including the need to strengthen human and material resources.

1.4Financing the health system

196.The Ministry of Health and Social Protection is essentially financed by the State, with the support of various technical and financial partners.

197.The budget of the Department of Health fluctuated between 2015 and 2019. After decreasing from 2015 to 2016 (from CFAF 45,006,161,000, comprising 6.39 per cent of the State budget, to CFAF 46,502,833,000, or 5.55 per cent of the State budget), it increased in 2017 (CFAF 55,888,584,500, representing 6.82 per cent of the State budget) and fell again in 2018 (CFAF 56,737,055,000, or 6.68 per cent of the State budget). In 2020, the Department’s budget stood at CFAF 124.235 billion (9.51 per cent of the State budget), compared with CFAF 83.691 billion in 2019 (6.78 per cent of the State budget), representing an increase of CFAF 40.55 billion (48.45 per cent).

2.Family planning coverage

198.Based on multiple indicator cluster survey 6 carried out in 2017, the rate of prevalence of use of modern contraceptive methods among women in relationships rose from 17.3 per cent in 2014 (third demographic and health survey of 2014) to 23.8 per cent in 2017.

199.Overall, there was an increase in the use of family planning methods between 2014 and 2017. Data from the third demographic and health survey of 2014 and multiple indicator cluster survey 6 of 2017 show that the contraceptive prevalence rate among women in relationships increased by 6.5 per cent between 2014 and 2017.

200.Measures have been taken to improve information on family planning and ensure the availability and more effective use of contraceptive methods. Such measures include:

•In 2018, expanding the range of contraceptive products available through the introduction of injectable contraceptives (Sayana Press), thus facilitating contraceptive use. Measures are being taken to encourage self-administration of injectable contraceptives.

•Increasing community-based distribution of contraceptive products from 10 to 11 districts in 2018 to 20 districts in 2020.

•Drafting the national sexual and reproductive health policy, which includes family planning issues, in 2017.

•Implementing the national action plan for family planning, which covers the period 2017–2022.

•Developing a plan to reframe family planning in Togo through the CONDOMIZE! campaign, aimed at encouraging people to protect themselves before any sexual contact involving risk.

3.Other provisions

3.1Law on voluntary interruption of pregnancy

201.The information provided in the previous combined reports on page 50, paragraphs 284 to 286, is still valid.

3.2Adolescent fertility and pregnancy

202.Adolescent fertility is an important consideration during the development of policies and the implementation of reproductive health strategies and programmes.

203.The following statistics describe adolescent fertility and pregnancy:

•17 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 have already given birth or have been pregnant.

•The adolescent fertility rate is 88 births per 1,000 women, or 53 per cent, which is considerably higher than the average rate in developing countries.

•Nearly one in three women (aged 20 to 49 years) was married or in a de facto union before the age of 18, and 8.1 per cent were married or in a de facto union before the age of 15. The proportion of women aged 20 to 24 who got married before the age of 18 is 25.2 per cent.

•The rates of adolescent pregnancy and early marriage are higher in rural areas than in urban areas.

•The fertility rate among adolescent girls in rural areas is twice as high as that of girls in urban areas.

•Around 9 per cent of young people had their first sexual relations before the age of 15.

204.Generally speaking, in Togo, adolescent girls living in rural areas, from low-income households and with little or no schooling are the most likely to become pregnant or engage in early marriage.

3.3Infant and child mortality

205.The infant mortality rate has fallen since 1988, from 155 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1988 to 89 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013–2014, according to the third demographic and health survey.

206.For every 1,000 live-born children, 89 will not reach their fifth birthday. Analysis of child mortality data shows that, overall, the risk of a child dying before their first birthday is 83 out of 1,000. The mortality rate of male children is higher than that of female children (89 per 1,000 versus 78 per 1,000).

3.4Maternal mortality

The main results of the third demographic and health survey of 2014 show that:

•Between the ages of 15 and 50, the risk of dying for men and women is 1 in 6.

•Maternal deaths account for 14 per cent of all deaths among women aged 15–49 years.

•For women in their childbearing years, the risk of dying from maternal causes is 1 in 50.

•In the 2007–2014 period, the maternal mortality ratio was estimated to be 401 deaths per 100,000 live births. Some three quarters of maternal deaths resulted from direct obstetric causes, such as haemorrhage (36.4 per cent), eclampsia (23.5 per cent), abortion complications (16.9 per cent), post-partum infections (14 per cent) and dystocia (22.3 per cent).

3.5Malaria

207.The decades-long fight against malaria in Togo has been pursued throughout the country through several strategies:

•Prevention, which includes vector control through the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets, prevention of malaria in pregnant women through intermittent preventive treatment and seasonal malaria chemoprevention

•Diagnosis and treatment of cases at the community and health facility levels in accordance with national guidelines

•Case management

208.Distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets rose from 52.1 per cent in 2018 to 91 per cent in 2019; coverage included 90 per cent of pregnant women requesting prenatal consultations and 75 per cent of children under the age of 1 who received an oral polio vaccine.

3.6HIV/AIDS epidemic

209.In 2012, Togo developed and adopted the national HIV/AIDS policy document, called “Vision 2020”, which aims to offer the public the best means to protect themselves and fight HIV/AIDS:

•A national strategic plan to combat AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, covering the period 2016 to 2020, has been developed. The vision set out in the plan is “to have, in the medium term, a healthy population free of HIV/AIDS and the emergence of an AIDS-free generation in Togo”. To facilitate implementation of the strategic plan, Togo has drafted several operational documents:

•National monitoring and evaluation plan, 2016–2020

•Monitoring and evaluation manual

•Multisectoral operational plan

•Investment framework for the fight against HIV and AIDS for the period 2013–2017

•A national policy document on HIV prevention and comprehensive care for target populations in Togo was drafted in July 2013

•A national programme to combat HIV/AIDS in prostitution settings in Togo for the period 2014–2017 was developed

•Initiatives are under way to set up a specific programme for target populations.

210.According to the national strategic plan to combat HIV/AIDS (2016–2020), prepared by the National Programme on the Fight against AIDS, the prevalence of HIV infection in Togo is generalized, estimated at 2.5 per cent in the general population aged 15 to 49 in 2014. Prevalence is predominant among women; the prevalence rate is 3.1 per cent in women and 1.7 per cent in men. This trend is also present among young persons aged 15 to 19, where the HIV prevalence rate in girls (0.4 per cent) is four times that of boys (0.1 per cent). The predominance among women is also apparent in persons aged 30 to 34, where the prevalence rate is 6.2 per cent among women, compared with 4.2 per cent among men.

211.According to Spectrum 2019 estimates, the prevalence among young persons aged 15 to 24 years is 0.75 per cent.

212.In 2015, HIV prevalence was significantly higher in key populations than in the general population: among sex workers, the prevalence rate was 11.7 per cent nationally and 13.4 per cent in Lomé. Among men who have sex with men, the prevalence rate is estimated at 13.0 per cent nationally and as high as 22.4 per cent in Lomé. Among drug users (84.9 per cent of whom are in Lomé), the prevalence rate was estimated to be 5.5 per cent in 2011. It is estimated that the population of sex workers is 10,284, 58 per cent of whom live in Lomé. The number of men who have sex with men is estimated to be 7,649, 78 per cent of whom are in Lomé, while it is estimated that the number of drug users is around 2,289 persons. In prisons, the HIV prevalence rate was 4.3 per cent in 2011.

213.In 2013, efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV were strengthened. Of 165,809 pregnant women screened, 4,531 were HIV-positive (2.73 per cent); out of this group, 4,478 (98.83 per cent) took antiretroviral drugs.

3.7Healthcare programmes for women, men and adolescents

214.Interventions aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV have seen great progress since 2012. A plan to eliminate mother-to-child transmission for the period 2014–2018 was created and is being implemented in the country.

215.In January 2015, the option B+ (triple-drug therapy) protocol was introduced and has been disseminated to all sites for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, and site providers (midwives, nurses, birth attendants) were designated to initiate administration of antiretroviral treatment and monitor persons living with HIV. With regard to primary prevention among women of childbearing age, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 35 (f), several combined large-scale, locally based prevention campaigns on HIV infection, reproductive health and gender-based violence have been organized for women in rural and urban areas by trained peer educators.

216.Programme data show that in 2014, around 218,561 women were tested for HIV and few women had access to condoms. In addition, 115,974 women were sensitized with respect to gender-based violence, and 781 victims of violence received follow‑up services.

217.With regard to family planning among HIV-positive women, in 2014, 71 per cent of sites for maternal, neonatal and infant health (612 of 684) offered services for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in 2014, compared with 47.7 per cent of sites in 2012; 3 per cent of HIV-positive women of childbearing age are using a family planning method (National Programme on the Fight against AIDS, 2014).

218.With regard to care for HIV-positive pregnant women, 58.7 per cent of pregnant women surveyed had been tested for HIV (183,082 out of 311,625); 87.4 per cent of HIV-positive pregnant women received antiretroviral drugs (4,496 out of 5,146); 7.5 per cent of HIV-positive children were receiving antiretroviral treatment, i.e. 36 children in 2014 (report of the National Council on the Fight against AIDS, 2014); 4.8 per cent of pregnant women’s partners were screened in 2014; and 1.39 per cent of pregnant women (279 out of 20,066) tested positive for syphilis following prenatal consultations.

219.In the case of mother-child pairs, 59.8 per cent of infants (3,015 out of 5,047) born to HIV-positive mothers received antiretroviral drug prophylaxis, and 74.3 per cent (2,288 out of 3,079) were screening using PCR 1 and other tests available at two health facilities.

3.8National pharmaceutical policy

220.The information given in the previous combined reports on page 53, paragraphs 307–313, is still valid.

3.9Blood transfusion centres

221.Blood safety is ensured by the National Blood Transfusion Service, which oversees the activities of the two qualifying centres: the National Blood Transfusion Centre and the Regional Blood Transfusion Centre, which mobilize high rates of donors (90 to 95 per cent), who provide for 70 to 80 per cent of the need.

3.10Promotion of women’s access to health services by expanding universal health coverage and public health services

222.Following the conclusion of the plan covering the 2012–2015 period, the health sector adopted a national health development plan for 2017–2022.

223.The country has a women’s health policy to address issues related to maternal and neonatal mortality, in line with the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 35 (a) and (b).

224.Data from the 2015 health map of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection show that the number of health centres offering a basic package of sexual and reproductive health services rose from 674 family planning centres in 2012 to 775 family planning centres and 864 maternal and infant health centres in 2016 (United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, 2017).

225.In addition, efforts carried out in this area have made it possible to establish and begin implementing a national programme to address adolescent pregnancy and early marriage within and outside school settings since the end of 2016. This programme has been further strengthened since 2017. It should also be noted that comprehensive and free care has been offered to women with obstetric fistulas since 2011. In this regard, 512 cases were treated between 2011 and 2017, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 35 (d).

226.Since 2017, the country has implemented an action plan for the administrative integration of sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and family planning.

227.Several measures have been taken to reduce preventable maternal, infant and neonatal mortality. These include increasing the budget to subsidize caesarean sections, from CFAF 1,000,000,000 in 2017 to CFAF 1,300,000,000 in 2018 (UNFPA report, 2017), and providing an annual State subsidy of CFAF 150,000,000 for the purchase of contraceptive products in 2017 and 2018.

228.Togo adopted a law on universal health insurance in 2021. This innovative law drives social governance in Togo. The scheme provides health coverage for the entire population, through a system based on risk pooling and solidarity.

3.11Development of specific health services for women and girls, including sexual and reproductive health, mental health, maternal health and HIV‑related services

229.The HIV epidemic in Togo is generalized, with regional disparities. Togo has drafted and implemented national strategic plans. In addition, a 2016–2018 operational plan has been implemented to guide efforts to achieve the 90-90-90 treatment target set by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as well as the national HIV and AIDS policy under Togo Vision 2020. In 2017, 59,752 persons living with HIV were on antiretroviral treatment, representing a treatment rate of 57 per cent. Progress has also been made nationally in terms of the geographic coverage of services for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission.

230.With regard to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, major activities include the provision of HIV counselling and testing to 181,974 pregnant women and the administering of antiretroviral treatment to 3,899 pregnant women, representing a coverage rate of 66 per cent of the target (data from Spectrum V 5.65, May 2018). A total of 307,103 women aged 15–49 were screened. The HIV prevalence rate among women screened during prenatal consultations is 2.9 per cent. The sentinel survey of 8,535 pregnant women showed that the prevalence rate of syphilis is 0.6 per cent.

231.HIV/AIDS programmes and interventions include a gender perspective in order to offer women appropriate required services. In addition, steps have been taken to strengthen policies to achieve international goals, in particular the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target. Such measures include:

•The CONDOMIZE! 2018 campaign, which involved the distribution of free male and female condoms in hotspots on the beach in Lomé

•Gender training for staff involved in the HIV response

•The fourth conference on target populations, held in November 2018

•The national health policy was validated in 2016 and is currently being implemented

•National strategic plans with related national monitoring and evaluation plans

232.In the area of comprehensive HIV care, efforts are being made to step up the fight against stigma and discrimination.

233.Also worth mentioning is the WEZOU Programme, established in 2021, which offers pregnant women four prenatal consultations and basic postnatal care and covers provider fees, hospitalization costs and basic supplies for uncomplicated deliveries, caesarean sections and assisted vaginal deliveries.

3.12Strengthening comprehensive sex education in schools and through community programmes

234.Sex education has been strengthened through:

•Compulsory provision of health education in schools on the prevention of AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Manuals have been developed and monitors and teachers have been trained for this purpose.

•Development of a national programme to address adolescent pregnancy and early marriage within and outside school settings for the period 2015–2019, and its second iteration, for the 2023–2027 period.

•Development of information, education and communication materials and behavioural change communication materials tailored to support parent-child communication on sexual and reproductive health.

Article 13

Social and economic benefits

1.Entitlement to family benefits

1.1Family benefits for civil servants

235.In addition to the information provided in the initial reports, it should be noted that, in accordance with the provisions of Act No. 2013–002 of 21 January 2013 on the general status of the Togolese civil service, public sector employees enjoy social benefits including:

•Initial family establishment allowance

•Family allowances

•Bonus infant dependant payments

•Single-earner allowance

236.With regard to the private sector, the Social Security Code guarantees the right to family benefits (prenatal allowances and family allowances) to persons insured under the National Social Security Fund, as follows:

•For the nine-month period preceding birth, a salaried employee or the spouse of a salaried employee is entitled to prenatal benefits from the day the pregnancy is declared. Entitlement to such benefits is subject to compliance with medical requirements (including prenatal consultations).

•Family allowances are granted to the insured person for each dependent child up to the age of 16 years, up to a maximum of four children, with the possibility of a substitution limited to two children. The age limit increases to 21 for children who undertake apprenticeships or continue their studies, or who, owing to a disability or incurable illness, are unable to continue their studies or undertake an apprenticeship.

1.2Family benefits for workers

237.The information provided in the combined initial, second, third, fourth and fifth periodic reports under this heading, on pages 111 and 112, remains valid.

1.3Maternity benefits

238.In addition to the information contained in previous reports, it should be noted that almost 73 per cent of pregnant women have completed at least one prenatal visit and 60 per cent of deliveries are assisted (demographic and health survey, 2013–2014).

1.4Right to bank loans, mortgages and other forms of financial credit

239.The information given in the previous combined reports on page 55, paragraph 323, remains valid. In addition, with regard to guaranteeing women’s access to credit, from 2014 to date, more than 700,000 people, and women in particular, have joined the National Fund for Inclusive Finance and its related products (Access for the Poor to Financial Services (APSEF), Access for Farmers to Financial Services (AGRISEF), Access for Youth to Financial Services (AJSEF), etc.).

Information on financing strategies for women’s access to microcredit, 2014 to 2020

240.The National Fund for Inclusive Finance has strengthened the financial support system established by the Government to help women’s associations and cooperatives gain access to microcredit, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 17 (b). In 2014, CFAF 10 billion, including CFAF 5 billion from the West African Development Bank, have been mobilized to operationalize the Fund to reach 300,000 beneficiaries, most of whom are women.

241.From April to October 2014, 211,846 people, mostly women, benefited from the Fund’s first product, called Access for the Poor to Financial Services (APSEF).

242.As at 31 December 2014, 331,021 people, over 90 per cent of whom are women, have benefited from that product.

Article 14

Women in rural areas

243.In response to the new context engendered by COVID-19, the Government has adapted the national vision, in line with the aims of the President; updated the portfolio of the country’s projects and reforms set out in the national development plan and the short-term action plan; and developed a government road map for the period 2020–2025. On the institutional front, a directorate for hygiene and basic sanitation was established, and the national hygiene and sanitation policy of Togo (2018–2022), the national water and sanitation policy, and the national action plan for the water and sanitation sector, among others, were drafted and revised. All these programmes contribute to improving the living conditions of rural women, in line with the recommendations of the Committee contained in paragraphs 37 (a)–(c).

244.With regard to women’s access to financial resources and access to basic public services, the following results are worth noting:

•Cash transfers from 2017 to 2020: 60,419 households received transfers, with a total value of CFAF 5,507,942,585. A total of 57,825 women beneficiaries received CFAF 5,271,467,253.

•The social safety net and basic services project was developed to provide the poorest communities with a minimum level of basic socioeconomic services, such as primary education, healthcare, water, sanitation and social protection services.

•Between 2018 and 2020, 173 associations, with 4,098 members, including 3,669 women, were established. Furthermore, 377 multipurpose hubs were set up in villages to support the income-generating activities of women’s associations.

245.To ensure that rural populations have continuous access to drinking water, in 2018 the Government set up an electronic reporting platform to quickly detect and report, with a simple telephone call, breakdowns of water well structures, thus facilitating rapid repairs. A total of 1,000 water wells were installed.

246.Since 2015, remote areas have been prioritized when determining the distribution of sites for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and maternal and infant health in all health regions, facilitating access to maternal care services and antiretroviral drugs to all women living with HIV and especially those in remote areas. In addition, the provision of antiviral treatment and follow-up care services for persons living with HIV has been delegated to midwives, nurses and birth attendants at sites for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in remote areas.

247.Furthermore, with regard to rural women’s access to land, it should be noted that article 13 of Act No. 2018–005 of 14 June 2018 on the land and property code stipulates that national land policy must include appropriate measures and mechanisms that promote the access of poor and vulnerable populations, particularly young people and women, to land, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 37 (d). Also, since 2021, implementation has been under way of the project to empower rural women in Togo, which aims to enable rural women to acquire, secure and exploit land and thus advance their economic empowerment.

Article 15

Equality before the law in civil matters

248.The information on the right to administer property, the right to equal treatment before the law and freedom of movement contained in the previous combined reports remains valid.

Article 16

Equality in matters of marriage and family law

249.As mentioned above, the new Persons and Family Code was amended to remove almost all provisions that were discriminatory towards women. However, polygamy is still legal under Togolese law, albeit in a very restricted context. Specifically, spouses who have chosen polygamy are subject to a mandatory system of separation of property, while those who opted for community of property may choose between different ways of administering their assets. In addition, cohabitation remains unregulated by law.

250.With regard to the freedom to choose a future spouse and matrimonial property systems, the information contained in the previous combined reports remains valid.

251.With regard to the responsibility of spouses during marriage, the new Persons and Family Code no longer confers the status of head of family to the husband. Since it was revised in 2012, under the provisions of article 99, the Code confers on spouses shared management of the household.

252.With regard to inheritance matters, it should be noted that the provisions of the Persons and Family Code constitute ordinary law and that, while recognized, customary succession must respect the law, human rights and the fundamental principles of the Constitution, in line with the recommendation of the Committee contained in paragraph 41 (a). Article 412 of the Code provides that the surviving spouse retains the right to live in the marital home and the family’s habitual residence for 30 months from the opening of the succession, even when the property is the personal property of the deceased spouse, regardless of the type of succession involved. The Persons and Family Code also provides that the choice of residence is no longer subject to the exclusive initiative of the husband, but instead, it is the choice of both spouses. In addition, the husband can no longer object to his wife exercising a separate profession.