On 15 February, 2025, 41 of the 61 members of the Togolese Senate were indirectly elected. The ruling party UNIR secured 34 of the 41 indirectly elected seats. Opposition parties and independents made up the remaining 17 seats. Women made up less than 13% of the members indirectly elected to the new Senate.
On 15 February 2025, Togo held its Senate elections following constitutional reforms enacted in 2024. Of the 61 seats, 41 senators were indirectly elected by municipal and regional councillors, with an additional 20 senators appointed by Prime Minister Faure Gnassingbé on 5 March. The ruling party UNIR (Union pour la République) secured 83% of the indirectly elected seats (34 of 41), while opposition parties and independents won the remaining 17% (7 of 41). All senators serve 6-year terms.
Major opposition groups, including ANC (Alliance Nationale pour le Changement) and FDR (Forces Démocratiques pour la République), boycotted the elections, criticising the constitutional reforms as a coup d'état designed to allow the President to remain in power indefinitely. UNIR also holds the majority of seats (108 of 113 seats) in the lower house, the National Assembly, following the 2024 parliamentary elections. The elections have taken place in a repressive political climate. Political rallies in the country have been banned since 2022, preventing opposition parties from building grassroots movements and popular participation in the political sphere.
In December 2024, the Togolese government announced that the elections to the Senate would be held on 2 February 2025. This date was later changed to 15 February 2025 “following a request from several political parties to extend the deadline for candidatures.” In May 2024, Togolese National Assembly approved constitutional amendments that established the Senate. Although the Togolese Constitution had called for a bicameral legislature, it had previously not been established.
Following the 2024 indirect elections, Togolese women hold 24.6% (15 out of 61 seats) in the Senate. Of the female senators, 10 were appointed, while 5 were indirectly elected. In the lower house, the National Assembly, women secured 21 out of 113 seats (18.3%) in the 2024 direct elections. Women’s political representation at the subnational level is lower than that at the national level. At the local level, as of 2024, women hold 12.84% of elected seats and 12 women serve as mayors in the 117 communes.
Legislative and policy reforms on women’s rights
In the last 15 years, Togo has adopted significant measures to increase women’s representation in political positions and to improve gender equality at different levels. In 2013 (and subsequently in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024), the Electoral Code was amended to include legislative gender quotas. The amendments introduced in 2013 require candidate lists to include equal numbers of women and men (Art. 220 of the Electoral Code). The 2013 Law on Political Party and Electoral Campaign Funding provides financial incentives in public funding to political parties related to gender quality. The Law establishes that 70% of funding is distributed based on the votes of previous elections, 20% based on the number of women elected for the party in previous legislative elections, and 10% based on the women elected in the last local elections. Political parties that meet parity requirements on their candidates list are also entitled to bonuses beyond the funding allocations. Furthermore, application costs for women candidates have been cut by 50% for legislative and local elections, reducing economic barriers for women entering politics.
Togo has also introduced other legislation aimed at strengthening women against discrimination and providing greater protection and equality. The 2014 Family Law prohibits discriminatory customary practices on inheritance and land tenure. Furthermore, widows were recognised as having the right to inherit their husband's estate. The 2018 Code on Land and Estates grants equal land tenure rights to women and men. Other legislative reforms guarantee equal rights for divorced and widowed women in remarriage, condemn physical, moral, and economic harassment of women in the workplace, and protect pregnant workers. In December 2022, the Law on Protecting Learners against Sexual Violence was adopted. The law criminalises school-based gender-based violence and defines prevention and victim support measures.
Togolese women who seek to engage in politics have reported facing significant societal pressures and unequal division of care work. The domestic burden placed on women and girls presents a barrier to their political participation. Women are often forced to choose between family and political activities. Bernadette Akakpo, a former member of the National Alliance for Change (ANC), resigned from the party two years after her marriage because societal pressure and domestic burdens prevented her from attending party meetings regularly. She noted that the unequal division of domestic work negatively impacts women’s ability to pursue “any other form of occupation once they are married.”
Female politicians, Espoir Abalo and Afi Atanley, noted that Togolese society is patriarchal and sees politics as a field reserved for men. Women who engage in politics often receive degrading remarks and are called names; it does little to encourage women to engage politically, they noted. Both also said hat little is done to encourage women to enter politics.
When engaging in politics, women in Togo are not only constrained by social norms, but they also face physical risks. Women are more exposed to sexual violence, harassment, and intimidation. It can be concluded that women in politics in Togo are challenged not only by an increasingly authoritarian political situation but also by gender-specific limitations, discrimination and violence.
Women in Togo Advocating for Change
Togolese organisations and movements have been instrumental in advocating and advancing women’s political participation. Various women’s rights organisations successfully pressured the government to adopt the new Code of Persons and the Family in 2012 and 2014.
Togolese women have a history of political engagement and activism. In 2012 and 2017, Togolese women protested naked following a week-long sex strike for the “Save Togo” campaign in order to mobilise men against President Gnassingbé. Women, in doing so, subverted the cultural beliefs about women's nakedness, using it strategically to demand political change. Others mobilise support for women candidates, particularly noting the risk of engaging in politics. Female Togolese politicians, like Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson, have encouraged Togolese voters, like Brigitte Adjamagbo-Johnson, have encourage Togolese voters to support the “courageous women who have dared to stand as candidates." Farida Nabourema, a political activist and blogger, follows the tradition of Togolese women in politics. She is on a mission to "denounce injustice against the Togolese people and mobilise the youth.”
Conclusion
In the first ever indirect election to the Senate, UNIR secured 83% (34 out of the 41) seats, with opposition parties and independents obtaining 17% (7 out of 41) seats. Women obtained 5 seats in the directly election. The remaining members of the Togolese senate are made up of 20 members appointed by the President. Of the 61 member Senate, women comprise 24.6%.
The country has made notable strides in establishing legal frameworks to promote gender equality in politics. Togo introduced important parity requirements for candidate lists, financial incentives for parties that elect women, and reduced application fees for women candidates. The country has also implemented important legal reforms on gender discrimination in family law, inheritance, land tenure, protection from violence, and workplace rights.
Despite the progress, challenges to Togolese women’s political participation and representation remain. The adoption of gender quotas has yet to advance the representation of Togolese women at the national level. Togolese women are actively advocating for change and engaging to strengthen women’s rights. From organising protests to activism and running for office despite a hostile environment and little encouragement, Togolese women have been at the forefront. Women’s rights and civil society organisations have successfully advocated for legal reforms in family law, inheritance rights, land tenure, protection from violence, and electoral provisions.