The aim of this research is to describe the trend in met needs (MN) and unmet needs (UN) for family planning (FP) among women in union in Chad, to identify the factors associated with satisfaction of these needs, and to explore the determining factors in changes in UN. The data come from the 1996-1997 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and the 2014-2015 Demographic and Health Survey with Multiple Indicators (DHS-MICS). A sub-sample of 5,731 women in 1996-1997 and 13,439 in 2014-2015 was selected for analysis. The analyses were descriptive and multivariate. The results show that, between 1996 and 2014, the proportion of women in union expressing MN and UN increased, respectively from 4.4% to 5.7% for MN, and from 10.2% to 22.3% for UN. The factors positively associated with MN and UN are fertility, attendance at health facilities, school attendance, working outside the household and area of residence. The results show that the increase in the UN from 1996-1997 to 2014-2015 is explained more by changes in the effects of women’s characteristics than by changes in these characteristics. The results support the introduction of a voluntary family planning programme enabling women to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, and to choose a birth spacing that is better for their health and that of their children.

The objective of this study is to determine the factors associated with the economic empowerment of women in unions, measured in terms of decision-making power on keeping and use of their own income. A cross-sectional, and mixed (quantitative and qualitative), study was conducted from 2018 to 2019. A total of 216 women chosen individually and 5 groups of women in unions in the 6th arrondissement commune of the city of N’Djaména, the capital of Chad, participated in this study. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling were used. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide in focus groups were used for data collection. A logistic link was used to identify factors associated with women’s empowerment. Of the total number of women interviewed (216), 83.3% stated that they decide for themselves on the custody of their income and 86.6% felt that they decided on the use. Women’s power to decide on the custody and use of their income is influenced by factors relating to the pre-marriage environment, the socio-economic status of parents or guardians, husbands and the women themselves. The focus group data shows that women generally believe that decisions made by themselves are necessary to enable them to develop their intellectual capacity, know-how and competence in the face of life’s responsibilities.