世界银行-改革歧视性法律，赋予多哥妇女权力（英）

Reforming Discriminatory Laws to Empower Women in TogoNelsy Affoum and Marie Dryhis Brief examines two reforms, enacted between 2012 and 2014, that lifted previous restrictions to women’s rights in Togo. Specifcally, these limitations prevented women from choosing where to live, from getting a job without their husband’s permission, and from being named head of household in the same manner as men. Te reforms to the Persons and Family Code were driven by women’s civil society organizations engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, including the government and the international community. Together, these actors identifed strategic agencies and stakeholders sympathetic to the overarching goal of gender equality in order to make greater gender equality a reality. Tis Brief explores this process, while also indicating the remaining barriers to women’s full equality in Togo.T Te notion of equality for all Togolese nationals is embedded in the country’s 1992 Constitution, which states: “All human beings are equal in dignity and in right. Te man and the woman are equal before the law. No one may be favored or disadvantaged for reason of their familial, ethnic, or regional origin, of their economic or social situation, of their political, religious, philosophical or other convictions” (Art. 2). Despite this clear constitutional guarantee to equality dating from the early 1990s, for more than a decade after the adoption of the constitution, Togo was slow to push forward women’s empowerment on the political agenda. However, in the early 2000s, once political will coalesced, in tandem with advocacy from local groups and the international community, Togo made tremendous improvements with respect to gender equality. Lately, women’s representation has also improved remarkably through the appointment of female leaders at strategic government positions. Notably, in January 2019, Mrs. Yawa Djigbodi Tségan was appointed president of the National Assembly and in September 2020, Mrs. Victoire Sidémého Tomegah Dogbé was appointed prime minister. Progress toward gender equality for Togo has advanced but has been only partial. Since 1970—the frst year covered by the Women, Business, and the Law (WBL) index, capturing the state of women’s legal rights and access to economic opportunities in countries around the world—Togo has enacted reforms under all eight indicators in the index. As of 1970, Togo scored only 25.6 out of 100, where 100 represents the absence of legal barriers for women in areas covered by the eight indicators. According to the index, Togo did not register substantial reforms until the enactment of the 2006 Labor Code. With this new Labor Code, Togo prohibited the dismissal of pregnant workers, mandated equal remuneration for work of equal value, and prohibited gender discrimination in employment. Te country also enacted legislation protecting women from sexual harassment in employment by providing civil remedies. However, women’s rights were not a str