Burkina Faso Reviews Draft Law on Paid Leave and Commemorative Days

Ouagadougou, December 8, 2025 - The Minister of Public Service, Labor, and Social Protection, Mathias Traoré, held a working session on Monday with members of the Commission on General Institutional Affairs and Human Rights (CAGIDH) to review the draft law on paid leave and commemorative days in Burkina Faso.

The meeting, chaired by MP Linda Gwladys Ouédraogo, President of CAGIDH, was attended by the minister’s staff and representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, responsible for institutional relations. The purpose of the session was to refine the draft before it is submitted for plenary review.

During the presentation, Minister Traoré highlighted that the adoption of the law would help enable the Burkinabè people to work more effectively while reinforcing the country’s goals of endogenous development and national sovereignty. Among the main innovations, the draft eliminates the paid holiday entitlement for the day following a public holiday that falls on a Sunday.

The bill also reclassifies key national observances: the popular uprising of January 3, the proclamation of independence on August 5, and National Martyrs’ Day on October 31 as days of commemoration and remembrance. Additionally, May 15 is designated as a day honoring customs and traditions, reflecting the secular nature of the State.

Following detailed debates and article-by-article review, the draft law will be submitted in the coming days for adoption during a plenary session of the Transitional Legislative Assembly.