By Noel Tadegnon

LOME, Feb 13 (IPS) - More and more Togolese women are stepping out from the sidelines in this patriarchal society, to join the fight against social ills like Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

More than ever, Togolese women are concerned about the deleterious effects of HIV/AIDS. Faced with the inexorable spread of the virus in Togo, women working in marketplaces and belonging to various organisations are getting together to mount a public information and awareness campaign to educate their sisters.

''It's not often that we get involved in awareness campaigns,'' says Afoua Blokpo, a grocer. ''But we happen to be strategically placed to quickly get a message across to our children, husbands, and other women.''

''Their role should be to increase awareness of the risks non- protected sexual relations pose, and to help combat the stigmatisation of people living with HIV/AIDS,'' the Togolese Minister of Health, Charles Kondi Agba, noted.

He emphasised that women and girls are the most important agents for change and the ones most at risk of disease.

''Many African families are affected, but many are afraid and keep silent,'' says Cecile Molinier, a UN worker in Togo. ''We must break the silence and begin to talk about AIDS.''

''We need to break the silence and think about the need to change behaviour so we can fight this pandemic,'' added Nicolas Koudouvo, a member of Rainbow, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working on HIV/AIDS.

Kayi de Meideros, a vendor of pharmaceutical products at the large Adawlato Market in Lome, said, ''Usually, we women are able to say certain things men can't. For the fight to be effective, women need to talk, especially since they constitute the backbone of the home and are closest to the children.''

She claims that Togolese authorities covered up the existence of AIDS in Togo for a long time. ''And today, we're reaping the consequences,'' she noted.

According to statistics from UNAIDS, after Cote D'Ivoire, Togo is the most ravaged country in West Africa. Burkina Faso ranks third. There are approximately 150,000 to 200,000 infected adults, including 66,000 women aged 15 to 49.

AIDS in Togo has orphaned some 95,000 children, where the total population is 4.5 million. The rate of infection among sexually active adults is 5.98 percent, a large proportion of whom are pregnant women.

''We can no longer stand idly by and observe the ravages created by this disease,'' stated Atanley Kafui, a merchant of traditional dress at the Adawlato market.

In spite of the various media awareness campaigns, the disease continues to spread. ''We are opposed to a classic response to HIV/AIDS, that is, a response that is solely medical, believing that highly responsive medical workers could thwart an acute epidemic,'' the Minister of Health stated.

''When we saw how destructive the disease is, we quickly realised that the problem went beyond the traditional medical framework in that it has created a total economic and social disaster as well,'' he added.

This awareness led to the recent establishment of the National Council Against AIDS, as prescribed by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) presidents at a special AIDS summit in April 2001 in Abuja, Nigeria.

This awareness also led some market women in Togo to go beyond taboos and offer condoms for sale among their other wares.

''The awareness has meant that a large number of women now know there is a test to detect HIV/AIDS, and this is very important,'' acknowledged Yawo Gouna from the Togo Life Work, an NGO. (END/IPS/AF/HD/NT/SZ/AN/MN/02)