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Claiming Human Rights - in Togo

The Togolese Republic is a member of the United Nations and the African Union. It has ratified many UN Human Rights Conventions (compare list on the right) and thus has made binding international commitments to adhere to the standards laid down in these universal human rights documents.

Togo is a French-speaking country in West Africa. It is a rather small country with an area of 56,785 square km bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to its south. On a global scale, its population density is medium. The capital of the country, which became independent on 27 April 1960 from France, is Lomé. Togo is a member of the regional economic communities ECOWAS and CEN-SAD.

With a Human Development Index of 0.50 Togo ranks 159th of 182 countries ranked in the UNDP Human Development Report of 2009. Life expectancy of the 6.5 million inhabitants at birth is 63 years, population growth is 2.5 percent per year. GNI is 400 US-$ per capita. External debt is 80.1 percent of gross national income. Primary school enrolment is 77.2 percent.

In as far as Togo has ratified the Optional Protocols for UN Human Rights Conventions or has accepted the Competence of the corresponding UN Treaty Bodies (compare list on the right), the inhabitants of Togo and their representatives are able to invoke their human rights through these bodies.

All inhabitants of Togo may turn to the UN Human Rights Committee through procedure 1503, to the Special Rapporteurs for violations of specific human rights or to ECOSOC for women's rights violations.

Since Togo is a member state of UNESCO, its citizens may use the UNESCO procedure for human rights violations in UNESCO's fields of mandate.

Employers' or workers' and certain other organizations (not individuals) of Togo may file complaints through the ILO procedure in the cases of those conventions which Togo has ratified.

Since Togo is an AU member, its citizens and NGOs may file complaints to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They may also file complaints according to the EU guidelines (on Human Rights Defenders, Death Penalty and Torture) to Embassies of EU Member States and the Delegations of the European Commission.

In cases of human rights violations by multinational enterprises, they may also invoke the National Contact Point in an OECD member state.

Togo has not yet joined the International Criminal Court.

Signature:   Ratification: 1984 (accession) Reservations:   Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 2009 Last concluding observations: 2011  
Signature:   Ratification: 1984 (accession) Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations: 2001  
Signature:   Ratification: 1972 (accession) Reservations:   Competence CERD acknowledged: no/non Last State report: 2007 Last concluding observations: 2008  
Signature:   Ratification: 1983 (accession) Reservations: no/non Signature optional protocol:   Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2006  
Signature: 1987 Ratification: 1987 Reservations: yes/oui Article 22 competence acknowledged: yes/oui Last State report: 2004 Last concluding observations: 2006  
Signature: 1990 Ratification: 1990 Reservations: no/non Last State report: 2011 Last concluding observations: 2005  
Signature: 2001 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2010 Ratification:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Signature: 2008 Ratification: 2011 Reservations:   Signature optional protocol: 2008 Ratification optional protocol:   Reservations:   Last State report:   Last concluding observations:    
Ratification Banjul Charter: 1982 Ratification Protocol African Court: 2003 Ratification Children's Charter: 1998 Ratification Maputo Protocol: 2005 Last State report: 2001  
International Criminal Court joined: no/non  
Country Rapporteur: no/non  
National Human Rights Institute: yes/oui  

Last change: 28.01.10 - 12:45