In the Savanes region of Togo, the association TCHOWOURE , based in Dapaong, works to defend the bodily autonomy and fundamental rights of women and girls. In partnership with the Association of Valiant Women and Girls with Disabilities in the Savanes Region (A2FHV‑S), it is implementing the “My Body, My Rights” project, supported by the Feminists in Action project, to raise awareness among schoolgirls and displaced women with disabilities and empower them to claim autonomy over their bodies in emergency situations.
Feminist action rooted in the community
The Savanes region is experiencing security instability, and women and girls, particularly those with disabilities, are seeing their sexual and reproductive rights threatened. Sociocultural norms, taboos surrounding sexuality, and inadequate services exacerbate inequalities, especially in a country where 50 % of women aged 15 to 49 report an unmet need for contraception. This reality is accompanied by a massive information deficit: according to a survey conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 82 % of the students surveyed were unaware that pregnancy is possible from the first sexual intercourse.
Drawing on its experience in reproductive health, during the first phase of Feminists in Action, the TCHOWOURE association led the “SSR-VBG Savane Region Project”, which established a listening framework for survivors of gender-based violence, as well as a psychological and legal assistance system.
These safe spaces are often the first place where survivors can be listened to, guided, and supported in an environment where violence is generally kept quiet. By breaking the isolation of victims, they help combat their feelings of shame and strengthen their awareness of their rights.
“My body, my rights”: changing social norms
The association is also committed to organizing awareness-raising events to combat sociocultural taboos and transform discriminatory social norms.
Among these initiatives, the Consent Festival, organized in Dapaong on November 29 and 30, 2025, by TCHOWOURE as part of the international campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, plays a central role.
The 2026 edition of the festival, funded by Feminists in Action as part of the “My Body, My Rights” project, will combine artistic performances, exhibitions, workshops, and discussion spaces aimed at enabling festival participants to talk freely about puberty, the body, and intimate relationships.
The festival also aims to empower young women (mainly aged 15 to 24) by improving their knowledge and capacity to act in relation to consent and menstrual hygiene, while emphasizing the promotion of positive masculinity.
These spaces for meeting and exchange help to deconstruct the normalization of gender-based violence and taboos around sexuality by mobilizing young people as a force for social change.
An intersectional and inclusive approach
The Association of Courageous Women and Girls with Disabilities in the Savannah Region (A2FHV-S), also based in Dapaong, has been involved in the project led by TCHOWOURE, supported as part of the second phase of Feminists in Action. The partnership between the two organizations aims to ensure that women and girls with disabilities—who are often excluded from traditional awareness-raising initiatives—are fully integrated into the project.
The collaboration between the two associations includes the distribution of inclusive and reusable menstrual kits adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, as well as the implementation of interactive sessions on sexual and reproductive health, consent, bodily autonomy, and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and early pregnancies. These activities, which consist of role-playing, forum theater, and small group discussions, are carried out in schools and with community leaders in order to reach adolescent girls, displaced and disabled women, and communities in the region.
The new phase of the project led by TCHOWOURE marks a change of scale, moving from a project run by a single organization to a consortium approach with A2FHV-S. Together, the two associations have set up a collective committed to ensuring that no woman or girl in the Savanes region—especially those with disabilities—is left behind in the fight for recognition of the right to bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive rights.
| About TCHOWOURE : Founded in 2018 in Dapaong, Togo, TCHOWOURE is a feminist association with 127 members, including 98 women. The association fights against gender-based violence and works to change attitudes in Togolese society. In particular, it is involved in promoting the sexual and reproductive health of Togolese women and girls. About A2FHV-S : The Association of Valiant Women and Girls with Disabilities in the Savanes Region (A2FHV-S) is an organization based in Dapaong and founded in 2021. It works to promote an inclusive, equitable, and just society by supporting women and girls with disabilities. |