Rwanda will allow teenagers as young as 15 to access contraception following the approval of a new law aimed at tackling the country’s rising teenage pregnancy rates, sparking divided opinions in the largely conservative nation.
The Central African country of about 13 million people — 40 percent of whom are under the age of 15 — has struggled with rampant teenage pregnancies but previously faced resistance to expanding access to contraceptives.
Although adolescent birth rates are declining globally, the World Health Organization notes that the rate of decline is slowest in sub-Saharan Africa.
Recently, lawmakers passed the healthcare services bill, lowering the legal age for accessing contraceptives from 18 to 15 without the need for parental consent.
The Rwandan health ministry said the previous age restriction contributed to high levels of unintended teen pregnancies, with over 22,000 cases recorded last year.
The bill had been before parliament since last year and was initially rejected.
“It has been proven that Rwandan girls are sexually active even before the age of 15,” said John Scarius, programme director at the Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development. “What parliament has done is commendable. It’s good they approached this from a progressive standpoint.”
Under the new law, teens can access birth control pills and implants, though lawmakers stressed that condom use should be prioritised.
A report presented to parliament showed that, over the past five years, more than 100,000 teenage girls in Rwanda became pregnant — a leading cause of school dropouts.
“We expect this law to decrease teenage pregnancies, reduce school dropouts and illegal abortions, and eliminate abortion-related deaths,” Scarius added.
However, the law has not been without criticism. Retired healthcare worker and parent Karemera Charlotte voiced concern that the move “opens a very dangerous door.”
“The thought of seeing your 15-year-old off to school with packets of condoms in the suitcase is unfathomable. It’s akin to openly abetting immorality,” Charlotte said in Kigali. “This, in a way, will actually promote abortion.”
Abortion remains illegal in Rwanda except in cases of rape, incest, or forced marriage.
