Women use sex strike to get heard on political reform - Women's Agenda

Women use sex strike to get heard on political reform

Women in Togo have come up with a novel way of making sure their demands are heard: Abstaining from sex.

The female wing of the opposition coalition Let’s Save Togo has urged women to abstain from sex for a week in order to push for reform and demand that President Faure Gnassingbé stand down immediately.

Gnassingbé came to power in a highly disputed election that was marred by extreme violence in 2005, after the president at the time – his father – died. His family has ruled the tiny West Africa nation for more than four decades.

The sex strike was announced at a demonstration organised by the opposition, on Saturday.

They are protesting recent electoral reforms, which they say will make it easier for Gnassingbe’s party to win re-election in October, and are seeking to put a limit on the number of times a president can be re-elected.

Togolese women traditionally don’t have a lot of power, however female anti-government protesters are hoping that the sex strike will convince more men to get involved in bringing about political reform.

Opposition leader Isabelle Ameganvi was hopeful the sex strike will produce results, telling Associated Press that sex could be a “weapon of the battle” to achieve political change.

“We have many means to oblige men to understand what women want in Togo,” Ameganvi said.

Other women were not as optimistic.

Ekoue Blame, a Togolese journalist said, “It is easy for her to say because she is not married herself … Does she think women who live with their husband will be able to observe that? By the way, who controls what couples do behind closed doors?”

 

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