Rwanda’s Health minister has introduced a bill to allow girls as young as 15 to access reproductive health services, including contraception, in an effort to reduce unintended teenage pregnancies.
The “Law Regulating Health Services,” presented to Parliament on November 5, is set for debate and a vote in the coming days. The proposal is expected to encounter resistance in the socially conservative country.
“Inaccessible sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception, contribute to high rates of unplanned pregnancies among teenage girls,” Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana stated as he introduced the bill. Advocates argue that current laws are discriminatory, preventing young girls from making informed choices about their reproductive health, even though Rwanda’s legal age of sexual consent is 18.
A similar proposal was rejected by parliament in 2022, but Aflodis Kagaba, executive director of the Initiative for Health Development NGO, who contributed to drafting the bill, believes it is necessary. “Some still resist this idea,” he noted, emphasizing that research clearly shows youth sexual activity and the need for protective measures.
However, some lawmakers remain opposed. “I will not support this bill. At 15, they are still children, and such a law could enable adults to exploit and abuse them without consequences,” said Christine Mukabinani, an MP from the PS Imberakuri party.
The Ministry of Health reports a rising number of teenage pregnancies in Rwanda, with over 10,000 recorded between January and June 2024. Currently, abortion in Rwanda is only permitted in cases of rape, incest, or forced marriage.