Women’s Empowerment and the Mask of Dictatorship in Togo

Last year the government of Togo attempted to host a Pan-African Congress. This was done in an attempt to rebrand the government of Togo as one which supports anti-colonial Pan-African efforts in Africa. The Congress was postponed due to lack of support.

It turned out that the dictatorship in Togo was unable to convince Pan-Africanists around the world of that this regime had suddenly had a change of heart and is willing to support Pan-Africanism. In reality, the dictatorship in Togo has a lengthy history of persecuting activists who have genuinely advocated for Pan-Africanism. The most notable case of this would be the assassination of Tavio Amorin.

In addition to using Pan-Africanism as part of its effort to paint itself as a progressive government, the dictatorship in Togo has also been touting empowering women. This too is being done in an attempt to mask the true, brutal reality of the dictatorship in Togo. Last month, Togo hosted the Regional Civil Society Forum on Girls’ Education and Women’s Economic Empowerment in West and Central Africa.

Real empowerment of women in Africa requires structural changes, such as the end to dictatorial regimes which are rooted in exploitation and abuse. It also requires an end to the practice of silencing women through repressive political tactics. The regime in Togo may present itself as one which is committed to women’s rights, but the reality is that the regime is one which does not care about the plight of struggling Togolese women.

One example of this indifference towards women was during the protests in 2012 against the regime in Togo. The opposition went so far as to call on women in Togo to engage in a sex strike so that women could make their demands for change known. Women did more than just engage in a sex strike. Thousands of women protested as well. The regime in Togo wasn’t too concerned about empowering women then, however. In response to the protests from the Let’s Save Togo movement, the government banned protests and even broke up the protests by using tear gas.

The regime in Togo consistently shows that it is indifferent to the cries of its own women citizens. Until their demands for a Togo free of dictatorship are met, the talk of women’s empowerment in Togo remains a farce which is used to mask the true nature of dictatorship there.