Govt defends contraceptive for teens amid high pregnancy, child mortality rates
The Ministry of Health has defended its proposal to lower the age of consent for contraceptive use from 18 to 15, citing high rates of teenage pregnancies and child mortality.
Appearing before the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Social Affairs on Monday, February 17, officials emphasised the need to expand access to reproductive health services for adolescents as part of the new draft law regulating healthcare in Rwanda.
Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana stressed that the government does not intend to lower the legal age of majority. Instead, it seeks to revise the age of consent for reproductive health services, including contraception, in alignment with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
“Our wish is to lower the age of consent from 18 to 15 because the WHO recommends that individuals requiring healthcare services should receive them without needing parental or guardian consent,” Nsanzimana explained.
He warned that denying adolescents access to reproductive health services has led to severe consequences, including unintended pregnancies.
Addressing teenage pregnancies and child mortality
Dr. Athanase Rukundo, Acting Head of Clinical and Public Health at the Ministry of Health, presented statistics highlighting the urgency of the issue. According to the 2022 national census, 39,273 teenage girls became pregnant.
Recent data from the ministry revealed that 8,000 girls under 18 received antenatal care between June 2023 and July 2024, making up 2 percent of all pregnancies attended to at health facilities. Furthermore, one in three legally induced abortions involved minors under 18.
Rukundo also pointed out that 69 percent of child deaths occur among children born to mothers under 20, according to a Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. Additionally, 34 percent of stunted children in Rwanda are born to mothers under 20.
“As we strive to combat child stunting, preventing unintended pregnancies among adolescents must be part of the solution,” Rukundo said.
Sexual activity trends among adolescents
Dr. Aline Uwimana, Division Manager of Maternal, Child, and Community Health at Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC), cited a 2023 study revealing that 51 percent of Rwandan children had engaged in sexual intercourse by the age of 12 or younger. She warned that this early exposure increases the risks of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Uwimana also noted that over 70 percent of 18- and 19-year-olds lack access to contraception, as the current law requires parental consent for minors seeking such services.
Despite the ministry’s justification, some MPs expressed reservations about the proposal, warning of potential unintended consequences. Their concerns included fears that easier access to contraception might encourage early sexual activity, increase exposure to STDs, and lead to health risks associated with contraceptive methods such as pills and injectables.
Instead, the lawmakers called for stronger measures to safeguard children’s rights, promote abstinence, and ensure that young people are raised in stable and supportive family environments.
