Civil Society Organizations Brief the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Situation of Women in Paraguay, Togo and Angola
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was this afternoon briefed by representatives of civil society organizations on the situation of women’s rights in Paraguay, Togo and Angola, whose reports the Committee will review this week.
Cabo Verde will also be reviewed this week, but no civil society representatives spoke on the situation in that country.
Non-governmental organizations speaking on Paraguay raised concerns relating to high rates of gender-based violence; a lack of sex education; and the criminalisation of abortion.
Civil society representatives for Togo were concerned about issues such as the shrinking civic space in the country which disproportionately affected women; high rates of abuse experienced by female detainees; and a lack of economic security for mothers.
Speakers for Angola highlighted issues including gaps faced by rural and vulnerable women; the prevalence of gender-based violence; and difficulty in accessing justice for female victims of violence.
The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Paraguay: De la Colectiva de Mujeres y Niñas con Discapacidad DISCAFEM; De la Coalición redactora del Informe Sombra de 9 organizaciones de la sociedad civil de Paraguay; and Del Consultorio Juridico Feminista.
The President of the National Human Rights Commission of Togo spoke, as well as representatives of the following non-governmental organizations: C.A.C.I.T; Observatoire National Sur La Liberté D'association Et De Réunion (ON); an Activist & Human Rights Defender; TCHOWOURE; and Together For Change.
The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Angola: Arquivo de Identidade Angolano (AIA) and Associação de Jovens Mulheres Empoderadas.
The Committee’s ninety-third session is being held from 5 to 30 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.
The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 October, to begin its consideration of the eighth periodic report of Paraguay (CEDAW/C/PRY/8).
Statement by Committee Chair
NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said this was the second opportunity during the present session for non-governmental organizations to provide information on States parties whose reports were being considered during the second week of the session, namely Paraguay, Togo, Angola and Cabo Verde.
Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations on Paraguay
In the discussion, speakers said Paraguay still had a ministerial decision in force which prevented gender from being taught in the education sector, despite recommendations from the Committee. A new textbook that had been introduced in the State party was not scientifically accurate and bred gender stereotypes. Holistic, scientific and secular sex education needed to be ensured. Education for indigenous women was a concern, a speaker said, and literacy for this group needed to be a priority.
There was also no anti-discrimination law in Paraguay. The Committee should recommend that Paraguay adopt the bill banning all discrimination, ensure adequate resources for the Ministry of Women, and repeal any laws restricting equality. Women with disabilities faced increased challenges, including sterilisation being carried out without their free, prior and informed consent. Their legal autonomy needed to be strengthened, along with their access to healthcare and jobs.
There were still gaps in access to justice when it came to gender-based violence. One speaker expressed anger at the recent femicide of a 23-year-old woman who was killed by her partner after the State failed to protect her. There was no single register which provided data for appropriate policies, resulting in increased victimisation. Human rights defenders and journalists were frequently harassed, including online. There needed to be increased investigations, prosecutions and reparations for all forms of gender-based violence, including online violence.
The State must implement a unified register of violence against women, stop the reform of the Criminal Code, and adopt the bill to protect journalists and human rights defenders. Despite progress in criminal prosecutions for trafficking, there was a lack of reparations for victims. Paraguay should strengthen the national programme for trafficking, among other actions.
There was nearly a complete ban on abortion which had an impact on female mobility and mortality. Abortion needed to be decriminalised. Furthermore, a law needed to be adopted on political parity, and steps needed to be taken to ensure the participation of politically excluded women.
Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations on Togo
In the discussion on Togo, speakers, among other things, said since the Committee's previous consideration of Togo, the socio-political context had been marked by a shrinking of civic space. Between 2022 and 2026, there were multiple cases documented where the Togolese State-imposed restrictions on civic space that had disproportionate effects on women, by limiting their ability to participate in political and public life, to meet, and to collectively make demands for equality. Several women involved in the public space had been arrested or charged with dubious accusations. Women politicians or elected officials had been prevented from organising meetings or conducting accountability activities. The State needed to repeal or amend legislation and regulations that restricted freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression, and ensure that any restrictions on a meeting or associative activity were written, grounded and individual.
One speaker noted that 60 per cent of women in prison had not been tried, calling on Togo to be held to account by the United Nations regarding its treatment of women and for an international inquiry into the crimes committed against women. There had been several cases of women detainees being placed with male detainees and sexually and physically abused. Hundreds of Togolese women had been interviewed, with over half reporting having suffered abuse at the hands of police officers or soldiers.
In Togo, access to women's and girls' rights was still too dependent on
their place of residence, their resources and their situation. The remoteness of services, costs and availability of benefits could compromise women’s access to contraception, care and protection against sexual and gender-based violence.
Recommendations included for the State to subsidise contraception and make it available in rural health facilities. There needed to be free, accessible and appropriate care for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including medical care and psychosocial support, regardless of their economic situation, status or location.
Many women in Togo were forced to choose between motherhood and economic security, due to difficulties in accessing maternity benefits. Despite being enshrined in law, these rights were not accessible in practice. The State was requested to revise multiple articles of the Social Security Code to ensure the protection of motherhood.
Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations on Angola
In the discussion on Angola, speakers, among other things, said despite progress made, there was still a significant gap between laws and the lived reality of women, especially rural, minority and vulnerable women. There was a significantly higher rate of poverty among women, compared to men. Lack of legal assistance represented additional barriers for rural women and those who were economically vulnerable. There was also a progressive shrinking of civil space. There were additional barriers silencing public participation, resulting in a systematic dismantling of women’s ability to organise themselves.
Priority issues included gender-based violence, which was a persistent problem in Angola. More than 14,000 cases of violence were recorded in 2024, with women being the main victims. Having only one forensic laboratory hampered the investigation of cases. The State needed to review the current law and expand protection guarantees. Access to justice was hampered by inequalities. There needed to be free legal aid in all provinces, and resources should be made available for women who were living in poverty.
Women and girls in Angola faced barriers in accessing justice, particularly with regard to gender-based violence. Victims of violence often faced fear of retaliation, social stigma, victim blaming and insufficient knowledge of reporting mechanisms. Women remained in situations of violence without effective protection and access to justice. While domestic violence had been criminalised, the legal protection did not translate into effective corrective measures. There was taboo and victim blaming which further discouraged survivors from going to the authorities. The State needed to go beyond adopting laws and ensure that women could turn to the judicial system safely and have an appropriate response.
Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked the representatives of Angola’s civil society several questions, including to clarify what was meant by access to justice; for more information about the reform of the Code to prohibit child marriage; how climate change was playing out within the State party, and the role of women mitigating its impact; and what pertinent issues should be raised with the State party during the dialogue.
Experts asked representatives of Togo’s civil society additional questions, including the main reason for the gender pay gap in the country; if extending paternity leave would improve women’s access to economic opportunities; important elements the Committee could focus on regarding family relations; information on the strategy for literacy and non-formal education; if there was a draft for an anti-discrimination law; and if there was social security for the informal sector.
Committee Experts asked representatives of Paraguay’s civil society what temporary special measures would benefit the country; what was the situation of culture and sport, and if there was a need for affirmative action in this area; pensions for children whose mothers were the victims of femicide; and their thoughts on the MAFE law.
Responses by the Delegation
Responding to questions, civil society representatives welcomed the recent approval in Paraguay of the MAFE law, which needed proper institutional strengthening.
Civil society representatives from Angola said legislation on domestic and gender-based violence was under review, but civil society wished for this process to be sped-up and the scope expanded. Access to justice referred to the formal justice system. There was a disparity between the courts and extra judicial proceedings. There needed to be an increase in training programmes for all sectors involved in the traditional justice system.
Responding to the Committee’s questions, speakers representing civil society organizations from Togo said there was an article in the Labour Code which prevented discrimination relating to pregnancy, and outlined maternity leave benefits. However, this did not always translate into action in reality, with women often being fired from their jobs for being pregnant. The country should harmonise what was in the Children’s Code, Nationality Code and Constitution, so everything was the same and uniform. The Committee should ask Togo to review the law around nationality to ensure Togolese women who married foreign men could confer their nationality to their children.
Statement by the National Human Rights Organization of Togo
KWAO OHINI SANVEE, President of the National Human Rights Commission of Togo, said the Commission welcomed the progress made by Togo in recent years regarding the promotion and protection of the rights of women and girls. The Constitution of May 2024, the revision of the Code of Persons and the Family in 2022, the amendments to the Penal Code to strengthen the punishment of violence and harassment against women, as well as the texts relating to the protection of learners against sexual violence were important advances. The Commission also welcomed the 2024 protocol for the holistic care of victims of gender-based violence and the prohibition of discrimination, sexual and moral harassment, violence and bullying in the workplace. Additionally, Togo now had several mechanisms dedicated to the promotion of gender equality.
Several mechanisms, including the National Fund for Inclusive Finance, among others, helped facilitate women's access to finance and supported their economic activities. Land legislation recognised women's equal rights to men in terms of acquisition, possession, exploitation, transmission and inheritance of land. In education, between 2019 and 2024, the preschool and primary enrolment rates had increased, with parity between girls and boys almost achieved at the primary level.
In women’s health, the availability of contraceptives, the subsidy of caesarean sections, the implementation of the WEZOU programme, the strengthening of prenatal consultations, as well as the extension of health coverage through universal health insurance showed the State’s desire to better meet the specific needs of women and girls.
The Commission encouraged the Government to continue its efforts while ensuring that progress in legislation, policies and programmes were further translated into concrete changes in the daily lives of women and girls, including those living in rural areas and in vulnerable situations.
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CEDAW26.019E