Who runs the world? GIRLS! My observations and experiences with gender roles in Togo

Hello everyone, it's been a while...

Anna and me in Morocco

With a two-week trip to Morocco and returning to Togo at the beginning of harvest season, I have had little time to work on my blog.

At the end of September, I met up with Anna, a close friend from college, as well as a former roommate and teammate. We had a great time exploring the beauty and diversity of Morocco as well as catching up and sharing about our adventures over the past year. When talking to Anna about my experiences in Togo and the people I had met, she noted my appreciation and admiration for the women I had befriended and worked with in Togo. I found myself explaining how while gender inequality and injustice certainly exists in Togo, it often takes on a different form than most Americans would imagine, and it does not mean that the women here have no freedom or autonomy. Anna encouraged me to dedicate a blog post to the women I have met in Togo, as well as discuss the gender roles and disparities I have observed which can be quite different than in the US.

I knew Anna was right, and this topic had to be my next post. But I took my time. Gender roles and inequality are extremely complex, and they can be hard to understand and describe, especially as an outsider looking into a world where many cultural implications are still not intuitive to me. In this post, I would like to share what I have observed in my short time in Togo. I want to create a balance of acknowledging the inequalities and injustices I have seen, while also accurately representing the women of Togo as the strong, funny, resilient badasses they truly are. I will also share about my experience as a foreign woman in Togo, and how I often exist as a "third gender": being given many exceptions to cultural norms and receiving many of the benefits only granted to men in this country.

The easiest differences to detect between men and women in Togo are their roles and responsibilities in the household and community. Most tasks are divided by gender, meaning there are specific jobs for women and specific jobs for men. Men are often tasked with the most physical and labor-intensive jobs in the field such as clearing fields, working the soil, making mounds, weeding, and chopping down trees. Meanwhile, in the fields, women are tasked with planting, applying fertilizer, collecting firewood, harvesting crops, and managing crops after the harvest. At the household, women and children are responsible for most tasks such as preparing meals, sweeping, fetching water, and doing the laundry and dishes. Men work in town as taxi drivers, carpenters, iron workers, mechanics, masons, etc. In the marketplace, women make and sell most food items while men often sell tools, clothing, and electronics. Finally, women are mostly responsible for childcare. Children spend most of their time with the mother who is in charge of feeding, housing, and clothing the kids, though most fathers are expected to supply the financial means for the women to do so. In a world where most tasks are still extremely labor-intensive, it makes sense that jobs are divided among the family, often by gender and age. This in itself is not problematic. The issue arises when the tasks allotted to men are consistently and significantly more profitable and hold higher value in the community. Finances are often divided in the household. The male head of the household has control over most of the money, but the money most women make through their own businesses (such as selling foods and goods) is their own money and they are free to spend it as they wish. However, this money is often significantly less than the money the men are making, keeping the women financially dependent on the men.

Making tomato paste with the women in my group

Interestingly, gender division is less prominent in social environments in my community. Men and women are often seen sitting and walking together in town, talking and enjoying each other's company. While certain recreational activities are dominated by men, such as sports and playing games, women and men often spend their free time together. I was also surprised to find that women drank alongside men in public within the non-Muslim community in my village. While certain celebrations have specific roles and traditions for men and women, both genders are typically involved and celebrate together.

I have also been impressed by women's willingness to speak up and stand up or themselves in community discussions. I have attended meetings where women have taken the stage to voice their opinions and ask questions. This is usually well received, and sometimes even encouraged, by the men present. I have worked with many strong and highly respected women in the community who have served as positive leaders and role models.

Sadly, women still face many hardships and limitations in rural Togo. Women have little autonomy over their bodies, and consent is not widely practiced in Togo. Girls are still married at a very young age, start having babies very young, and have many children during their lifetime. Many girls drop out of school early due to early marriage or pregnancies. When an early pregnancy happens or irresponsible behavior along those lines becomes public, all shame and/or blame is put on the female. It creates an environment where such behavior is expected and accepted for young boys and men, but young girls and women are punished for the same behavior--or for circumstances that were either out of their control or against their will.

During our time here, volunteers have been saddened and disturbed by many situations we have witnessed or had a female Togolese friend endure. It has been clear that Togo will not be able to significantly advance as a nation and reach its development goals until women are better protected, receive greater opportunities for higher education and higher paying jobs, and have autonomy over their bodies. And this applies for many parts of the world--women play key roles in community development and must be valued and invested in more throughout the world.

Living as a foreign woman in a community where gender roles and norms are quite different from what I grew up with has been an interesting learning experience for both me and my community. Many of the things I do and the way I present myself challenge many of the gender norms in Togo. Coming into service, I was nervous how this might play out, and how much of my identity I would have to subdue to fit in. I have been surprised by the acceptance and positive reactions I have received from community members.

Once my community realized I was able and willing to work alongside them in their fields, I began receiving invites from both men and women to accompany them in the field. I learned how to complete both male and female tasks in the field. While working alongside the men, there were certainly a few who were unsure about a woman doing a man's task, but most were excited to teach me how they farm and eager to hear about the differences between Togo and the US. It became accepted that I participated in both male and female activities, with the attitude that as much of the community as possible should benefit from my time here, regardless of if I was a man or a woman. In this way, I began to take on a seemingly "third gender". I was obviously a woman and treated as such, but I was allowed to participate in male dominated activities.

Group of farmers I consistently work with

My love of sports and my identity as an athlete also challenged norms in my community but resulted in an overwhelmingly positive response. While many Togolese girls are interested in sports, not many actively play, and are not seen as "strong enough" or "athletic enough" to play well (though they are perceived to be "strong enough" to carry 50+ pounds of things on their heads to and from the field...). It quickly became apparent that I enjoyed playing soccer and knew how to play "like the boys!" as everyone would say. I found a community among several soccer teams in my village, and some of my closest friendships in my community have come from playing. My teammates and coaches supported me playing and encouraged me to speak up at practice, valuing my opinion and my experience from playing in the states. Recently, several of my teammates have helped me form a soccer club for the girls. For the past three weeks, I have coached a team of 25-30 girls, leading nightly practices. It certainly has been challenging, as this is my first time coaching (in French nonetheless) and many of the girls' first time participating in organized sport. But I can see their eagerness to learn and participate in an activity that was always seen as "only for the boys" in my community. While it will take a lot of patience and learning, I hope to create a space for the girls where they can push themselves to improve and reach goals, as well as celebrate being a strong and competitive female athlete.

Getting called on by coach to speak at practice

All in all, gender roles and inequality are extremely complex in Togo. Like women anywhere, the women here are strong, determined, resilient, and full of joy and personality. Witnessing many of the hardships women face in Togo has made me appreciate the opportunities I received from a young age and the enabling environment I grew up in that encouraged me to take pride in being a strong and independent person. While there is a lot to be done in Togo to protect women's rights, I hope my time here can positively impact the amazing women I have met, and that I can serve as a role model for the younger girls in my community.