51st Ordinary Session
18 April – 2 May 2012, Banjul, The Gambia
Consideration of Reports Submitted by States Parties Pursuant to Article 62 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
Concluding Observations and Recommendations on the Combined 3rd, 4th and 5th Periodic Report of the Republic of Togo
I – Introduction
1. Togo is a State Party to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter), having ratified it on 5 November 1982.
2. The present Concluding Observations encompass the Combined 3rd, 4th and 5th Periodic Report of the Republic of Togo. The Combined Report was considered at the 50th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission) held from 24 October to 5 November 2011 in Banjul, The Gambia, and was a follow-up to the report that was presented at the 31st Ordinary Session held in May 2002.
3. The Report was presented by the Head of the Togolese Delegation, Mr. Minekpor Kokou, Acting Director of Legislation and Human Rights Protection at the Ministry of Human Rights, Consolidation of Democracy and Civic Education. He was accompanied by Ms. Tebie Amoussou Mazalo,Director of Gender and Women’s Rights at the Ministry for the Advancement of Women, and Ms. Yapko Ama Essenam, Legal and Administrative Research Officer at the Office of the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources. The above representatives are all members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Initial and Periodic Report Writing.
4. The present Concluding Observations take into account the report presented, the oral submissions and additional written information provided by representatives of the Republic of Togo, in response to the issues that were raised by the African Commission.
5. The present Concluding Observations give an account of the positive aspects identified in the report with regard to human rights promotion and protection in Togo, as well as the factors restricting the effective enjoyment of human and peoples’ rights in Togo. They also highlight the areas of concern which, in the view of the African Commission, require further action.
6. Moreover, the African Commission, through the present Concluding Observations, makes recommendations on the measures to be taken by the Government of Togo in order to enhance the enjoyment of the human rights enshrined in the African Charter and other relevant instruments.
