In the latest Women, Business and the Law 2026 assessment by the World Bank, Africa’s progress toward gender parity in economic rights remains uneven. While several nations have made strides, Chad continues to lag behind, underscoring persistent systemic challenges.
How Chad stacks up in Africa’s economic gender equality ranking
Chad ranks 36th out of 54 African economies, scoring a modest 51.40 out of 100. It trails just behind Burundi (35th place, 52.68 points) and sits ahead of Botswana and Nigeria, which share the 37th position with 51.10 points. This places Chad firmly in the lower half of the continental index, far from the top performers.
Top-performing nations lead with robust legal reforms
The ranking is topped by Mauritius, which leads with 82.30 points, followed by Togo in second place (79.33 points) and Côte d’Ivoire in third (78.25 points). Zambia and South Africa round out the top five. Their success stems from sweeping legislative reforms addressing mobility, employment, marriage, and entrepreneurship—areas where Chad still falls short.
Chad’s progress and ongoing gaps in women’s economic rights
With a score of 51.40, Chad remains well below the African average of about 67 points and the global median. The report recognizes a positive step: Chad has enacted laws against sexual harassment in public spaces, a critical move toward ensuring safety for women. Yet, significant barriers remain, particularly around credit access, workplace discrimination protections, parental rights, and property and inheritance entitlements.
These gaps disproportionately affect women, who represent the majority of the workforce in sectors like agriculture and informal trade—areas vital to Chad’s economy. Without stronger legal safeguards and enforcement, women’s economic participation continues to be constrained, limiting the country’s potential for inclusive growth.
From policy to practice: the enforcement gap persists
The World Bank highlights a stark reality across Africa: only half of all gender-equality laws are effectively enforced. Chad is no exception. While legislative progress has been made, translating these laws into real-world protections and opportunities for women remains a critical hurdle.
For Chad, this ranking is more than a static snapshot—it’s a call to action. Prioritizing reforms in property rights, financial inclusion, and violence prevention could unlock greater economic participation for women and drive broader societal and economic benefits.
