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8 Colum. Hum. Rts. L. Rev. 295 (1976-1977)
Law and the Status of Women in Togo: Discrimination against Women in Togo

handle is hein.journals/colhr8 and id is 299 raw text is: Law and the Status of Women in Togo: Discrimination against Women in Togo By Hon. Veronique Dagadzi* I. INTRODUCTION Upon examining the different societies of the globe, one is struck by the enormous powers of decision and administration concentrated in the hands of men. It seems as if international society had been structured upon the principle that men alone should decide societal values. The result of this invidious situation is that one-half of society commands the other half, and discrimination against women is endemic in all societies. In Africa in general and Togo in particular, the status of women has traditionally been determined by societal acceptance of the principle of their inferiority to men and in all areas of endeavor rules and customs have been developed to insure the dominant position of the male. For example, within the family unit itself, the woman lacks legal competence and the man is considered head of the family. In the marital relationship, the woman's in- feriority is maintained by the persistence of dower, polygamy, and lack of rights to personal property. In other areas such as religion, cultural affairs, and government, women are barred from effective participation. These rules and institutions had already become entrenched by the time of colonization. While colonization had a great impact upon other as- pects of African society, it did nothing to alter the traditional relationship of men and women, and these discriminatory practices remained in force. Socially, such discrimination cannot be justified. Economically, while the participation of women in the production of goods is not as great as that of men, they contribute significantly to the stability of the household and to the production of certain consumer goods. In addition, the home- maker is the primary consumer in a market economy. In all the countries of the world, this decade has seen the development of greater understanding of the problems of women. Technical progress has liberated women from household servitude (e.g., with washing machines, dishwashers, etc.), procreative servitude (through oral and other contracep- tives), and has eliminated manual labor to a great extent. Throughout the world, women are organizing and demanding a voice in affairs. However, such organizations, to be effective, must be integrated. * Magistrate Tribunal, Lome, Togo.

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