Family in Togo

A family in Togo may be organized as a household, an extended family or a single-parent household. Family members often share responsibility for food, housing, education, healthcare, childcare and support for older or disabled relatives. Customary and religious practices remain socially significant, but official documents are usually the clearest proof of marriage, birth, death, parentage and other civil-status facts. Civil marriage takes place before an officier d’état civil. The spouses must give free and full consent, and the normal legal marriage age is 18. Child marriage and forced marriage are prohibited. Togo allows the couple to choose monogamy or polygamy when marrying. The default matrimonial property regime is separation of property; the CPF also provides alternatives involving community property or participation. Marriage applications normally require at least 45 days of advance notice, birth certificates, proof of residence, identity documents for the couple and witnesses, and, depending on the commune, proof or a declaration concerning the customary bride price. Municipal fees and required tax stamps vary. A child is a person under 18. Parents are responsible for custody, supervision, education and maintenance. During marriage, parental authority is shared. A child owes respect to the parents, while contact with close relatives should generally be maintained. Adoption may be full or simple. The CNAET serves as the central authority, but a court decides the adoption. Private adoption is prohibited, and consent may need to be given before a notary or court. The consent can be withdrawn within three months, and an appeal is generally available within one month. Birth registration connects a child to legal identity and makes access to school, healthcare, nationality procedures, allowances and protection services easier. A parent, midwife or informed person should declare the birth within 45 days. A timely birth certificate is free nationwide, and the process normally uses a birth attestation, the parents’ identities and, where available, the family record book at the responsible commune or civil-status office. A late declaration generally requires a judgment supplétif from the competent tribunal, with timing and costs depending on the case. In 2022, birth registration was estimated at 86% for children under five, with a substantial rural-urban difference. WEZOU is a national pregnancy and newborn-care programme. A pregnant resident can enrol after pregnancy is confirmed through a unité de soins périphérique or a district or prefecture hospital, but not through a CHU or regional-level facility. The package includes antenatal consultations, tests, ultrasound, ordinary delivery and caesarean delivery under the relevant forfait. The subsidy reduces household costs, although private or uncovered expenses may remain. Protection services address violence, abuse and neglect. Allô 1011 provides reporting, information, counselling and referral. CROPESDI supports the identification, reception and referral of children affected by violence or maltreatment. Social workers, psychologists, health professionals, magistrates, police and gendarmerie may coordinate under the 2024 gender-based-violence protocol. The complete gender-based-violence service package, including medical certificates and medico-legal examinations, is free. Indigent victims who have initiated criminal proceedings may receive complete legal aid. The Ministère des Solidarités, du Genre, de la Famille et de la Protection de l’Enfance, communes, social services, courts, health services, traditional and religious authorities, NGOs and UNICEF each contribute to family support. The RSPM provides a unified registration and vulnerability profile that can open access to social programmes. A national cash-transfer operation has targeted 700,000 people, paying 25,000 FCFA to each selected household based on a poverty assessment. Formal services supplement, rather than replace, support from relatives and communities. Separation or divorce is handled by the tribunal, which can address temporary custody and maintenance during proceedings, residence, contact and the child’s interests. Death registration supports widowhood claims, CNSS matters, insurance, scholarships and orphan protection, while inheritance and widowhood practices may also involve extended-family and customary processes.