In response to rising teenage pregnancies, Rwanda\u2019s Minister of Health<\/strong> has tabled a bill that would allow adolescent girls aged 15 and above to access reproductive health services, including contraception. The move aims to prevent unwanted pregnancies among young girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new “health services regulation law” was presented to parliament on Tuesday and is expected to be examined in the coming days. However, the bill is likely to attract opposition, as Rwanda is a predominantly conservative country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana told MPs that lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services<\/strong> is a major cause of the high rate of unwanted pregnancies. He said current legislation limits adolescent girls’ reproductive health rights, with the legal age of consent set at 18 in Rwanda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bill has the support of several NGOs, including the Health Development Initiative, which helped draft it. According to Aflodis Kagaba, director of the NGO, it is crucial to protect young people, who are sexually active, by providing them with contraception. However, he recalls that Parliament had rejected a similar initiative in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some MPs, such as Christine Mukabinani of the PS Imberakuri, are firmly opposed to this project, believing that at 15, adolescents are still children and risk being exploited if such a law is adopted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Ministry of Health, teenage pregnancies are increasing: between January and June 2024, more than 10,000 cases of teenage pregnancies<\/strong> were recorded. In Rwanda, abortion is only legal in certain specific cases, such as rape, incest or forced marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rwanda\u2019s proposed law to allow contraception for 15-year-old girls reflects a pressing public health issue in the country. Although controversial, the bill could provide girls with tailored prevention options and reduce the consequences of early pregnancy. It remains to be seen whether the Rwandan parliament will accept the change in the face of cultural and social resistance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A bill to combat teenage pregnancies In response to rising teenage pregnancies, Rwanda\u2019s Minister of Health has tabled a bill that would allow adolescent girls aged 15 and above to access reproductive health services, including contraception. The move aims to prevent unwanted pregnancies among young girls. A law under debate in a conservative context The new “health […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39,38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\nA law under debate in a conservative context<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Justifications of the Minister of Health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
NGO support and debate on adolescent girls’ rights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Opposition to the law<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Increase in teenage pregnancies in Rwanda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n