Women and girls make up half the world’s population. Yet far too often, they are marginalized and their voices go unheard, especially in more conservative societies. Women are underrepresented in the political, business, and security sectors and are often denied their rights to education, equal protection under the law, and freedom of choice.

In Chad, laws are crafted in such a way that women are legally guaranteed the same rights as men. They enjoy full voting, property and inheritance rights, as well as equal access to education and healthcare. However, despite these laws, women’s rights and access to social benefits are often limited by societal constraints and values. Traditional gender roles, early marriage, gender-based violence, and discrimination translate into lower status for Chadian women that manifests in a number of ways. For example, the literacy rate for women in Chad is only 32% versus 49% for men, and only 28 of 188 members of the National Assembly are women.

The SoA funded International Women’s Leadership Forum in N’Djamena, Chad gave US and Chadian women from the business community, civil society, and the security sector an opportunity to discuss common issues and challenges and share their points of view.

This low status for women and girls has vast political, economic, and social implications. It limits the ability of communities to resolve conflict and hinders economic growth.

In an effort to support the efforts and progress of Chadian Women, Spirit of America is sponsoring a Women’s Leadership Forum in N’Djamena. In collaboration with the US Embassy and US Special Operations Command–Africa (SOCAF), we will bring together 100 Chadian women from the business community, civil society, and the security sector with female American leaders for a day of conversation, networking, and empowerment. Female leaders, both American and Chadian, will inspire future leaders by recounting their own struggles, strategies, and triumphs. These speeches will be followed by panel discussions and a question and answer session.

Ultimately, with your help, this event will further a movement that has already begun in Chad and support the grassroots efforts of women looking to exceed the boundaries placed upon them by societal norms.