International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day on March 8 is a paid public holiday in Chad and the culmination of the Semaine Nationale de la Femme Tchadienne, commonly known as SENAFET. The international date has been observed under changing national themes that focus attention on women’s political, economic and social participation, equal opportunity and the barriers women and girls continue to face.

SENAFET can include public discussions, professional and community events, exhibitions, sport, music and clothing made from the official commemorative fabric. The visibility of the week does not mean women share one experience or political view. Urban and rural life, age, disability, displacement, employment, education and family resources all shape how people can participate and which equality issues feel most urgent.

International Women’s Day is treated as a paid nationwide public holiday. Under Decree 97-413, the original paid list comprises New Year’s Day, Labour Day, Independence Day and Freedom and Democracy Day; a worker engaged on one of those days receives ordinary pay for the work plus an equal indemnity, and the protected closure cannot reduce regular monthly, fortnightly or weekly pay. The decree moves one of its listed paid holidays to Monday when it falls on Sunday. Later or exceptional holidays must be checked against the instrument and annual government notice that created them.