Togo Celebrates International Day of the Girl, Urges End to Child Marriage

The commune of Tchamba 1 in Togo recently celebrated the 2026 International Day of the Girl, with a focus on ending child marriage and promoting girls' rights. The event, organized by Plan International Togo, in collaboration with the Enfants-Jeunes-Femmes et Développement association and local communities, took place in the Larini canton. It aimed to raise awareness and mobilize communities against child marriage, while encouraging investment in girls' education and empowerment.

The celebration, part of the "Renforcement de l'éducation inclusive de qualité, de l'engagement des jeunes et de la cohésion sociale dans la préfecture de Tchamba" project, brought together participants from five cantons. They were addressed by Kondo Sakibou, assistant to the EJFD projects, and Tchakoli Aïdatou, capacity-building agent for the Alibi 1 canton. The speakers discussed the rights of girls and the negative consequences of child marriage, highlighting its impact on health, education, and future prospects.

The event featured sketches, poems, and a dialogue between generations with local decision-makers. Participants were encouraged to support keeping girls in school and to reject early and forced marriages. The speakers also reminded girls of their responsibilities towards their parents. The representative of the Tchamba 1 mayor, Ouro-Tagba Rafate, urged girls to pursue their dreams and acquire skills to become key actors in the commune's development.

Kpizia Nakamé, inspector of the IEPP Tchamba Ouest, expressed concern over the persistence of child marriage, sexual violence, and discriminatory social norms. She advised parents to allow girls to continue their education until university and encouraged girls to focus on academic excellence. The celebration included the reading and signing of the Girls' Declaration, emphasizing the importance of protecting and empowering girls.

The event aimed to promote inclusive and quality education, youth engagement, and social cohesion in the Tchamba prefecture. Plan International Togo and its partners hope to contribute to a better future for girls in the region by raising awareness and mobilizing communities. The commemoration of the International Day of the Girl highlights the need for collective action to protect girls' rights.

The Tchamba commune's celebration of the International Day of the Girl demonstrates the commitment of local authorities and organizations to promoting girls' empowerment and education. By engaging communities and decision-makers, the event seeks to create a supportive environment for girls to thrive. The declaration signed by the girls emphasizes their role in shaping their own future and that of their community.

The event concluded with a call to action, urging communities to support the protection and empowerment of girls. The organizers and participants reiterated their commitment to working together to end child marriage and promote girls' rights in Togo. The 2026 International Day of the Girl celebration in Tchamba serves as a reminder of the progress made and the challenges still ahead in the pursuit of gender equality and girls' empowerment.

Key points

• The event aimed to promote and protect girls' rights by raising awareness about the negative consequences of child marriage.