Human Rights Law Internships and Work-Experience Overseas in Togo

Togo is amongst the world’s poorest countries and has received its fair share of criticism over its human rights record. Today many local and international organisations are working to improve the situation of the poor, repressed and vulnerable within the country. Since trouble-free parliamentary elections took place in October 2007 many people are confident that during the next few years Togo will make further progress in human rights and democratic governance. You can play a part in this progress by volunteering on a Human Rights Law project in Togo.

The experience that you will gain while volunteering on the Human Rights project in Togo will undoubtedly improve your CV. This applies whether you are a gap-year student looking to study law at university or a law graduate looking to gain some practical work experience in human rights. Your precise role will be determined by your knowledge of law and level of interest in specific areas. International law experience is certainly something that all law firms will be pleased to see when recruiting trainees and new partners.

The main language of communication in Togo is French and speaking intermediate French is necessary to be able to participate fully in this project.

Volunteering on a Human Rights Law Internship in Togo

Volunteers in Togo work with the organisation WiLDAF, which stands for Women in Law and Development in Africa. This pan-African network of organisations and individuals exists across the continent to promote strategies linking law and development, and especially to increase the capacity of women to enjoy all their human rights.

The West African sub-regional office of WiLDAF is in Lomé, the capital of Togo. A placement here offers a unique opportunity for legal work and a special cultural experience for anyone interested in the field of law and human rights.

The civil, economic and social rights of women in Togo have improved in the last decade but there is still a long way to go. Some of WiLDAF’s current aims in Togo include improving the rights of women when their marriage breaks down and encouraging more women to become involved in politics.

You may join programmes dealing with the following issues:

• Violence to women
• Inequality in education
• Lack of financial independence for women
• Women in armed conflict

The main aim is to help raise awareness so that ordinary Togolese women understand their rights, and what protection they are legally entitled to in certain situations. Your role in this might involve various activities such as:

• Raising awareness in rural communities
• Preparing leaflets, posters or educational tools
• Running training programmes
• Planning promotional campaigns

WiLDAF is a serious professional organisation. You may sometimes have deadlines or you may be asked to represent the organisation at meetings and other events. Your work will be important for the growth of human rights in West Africa.

Lomé beachfront

WiLDAF members march

Women's march