Written by: Emma-Marie Umurerwa
In 2025, Rwanda approved a law letting adolescents access contraceptives without their parents’ consent — a move that has stirred strong debate among leaders, the Church, and civil society. But beyond the arguments are real girls whose lives are at risk. For a 15-year-old in Rwanda, this law is not just about health services; it is a lifeline, offering protection, dignity, and the power to shape her own future.
The numbers behind the new law are not just statistics they are stories of interrupted childhoods.
In 2024 alone, 22,454 teenage pregnancies were recorded in Rwanda, a rise from 22,055 the previous year. Health workers say these numbers are not just high they are heartbreaking.
A Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) report revealed even more difficult truths: in the 2023/2024 fiscal year, 4,849 children including 203 boys were victims of sexual abuse. 4,901 suspects were identified, leading to 4,567 prosecution files.
Mid-year figures from the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) further showed that in just six months of 2024, 10,480 teenage pregnancies had already been registered. Among them were 55 girls aged only 12 to 14.
These are the realities Rwanda’s new law No. 026/2025 of 17/09/2025 seeks to confront.
Voices of relief, pain, and uncertainty
On the streets, in villages, in families, people are learning what this law means in their daily lives.
For civil society, the news came as a step toward progress. Evariste Murwanashyaka of CRADHO welcomed the law with conviction: “This law is a victory for girls who have suffered because of stigma and lack of access to reproductive health services. It shows Rwanda’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity and well-being of adolescents.”
In Rwamagana, Jeanette Mukamana, a mother of three, voiced the fear shared by many parents across the country: “I know teenage pregnancy is a big problem. But I still fear that giving contraceptives to young girls might encourage them to start sexual activities too early. As a parent, this worries me.”
Mukamana Jeannette (Photo IRIBA NEWS)
Speaking to IRIBA NEWS, Cardinal Antoine Kambanda expressed the Catholic Church’s concern:
“We are not pleased with this decision. Providing contraceptives to minors outside marriage sends a wrong message. We urge families and the government to protect moral integrity and promote abstinence.”
Yet amid these adult voices, a quieter, more vulnerable voice rises that of the very group the law seeks to help.
A 17-year-old girl from Nyarugenge District, Muhima sector shared her truth with a mixture of relief and remembered fear:
“Before this law, we were often denied contraceptives if we came alone. Some girls ended up pregnant because they were afraid or embarrassed to come with their parents. I’m happy the government finally understood our reality.”
Her words reflect not rebellion, but a plea for safety.
Government: “We cannot ignore the reality”
In Parliament, the Ministry of Health defended the bill with urgency and empathy.
Dr. Yvan Butera, Minister of State, reminded lawmakers that teenage pregnancy has remained stubbornly high:
“We are going to provide these services because the lack of access was causing serious health and social risks to teenagers. Behavior-change campaigns alone have not been enough.”
Earlier, while presenting the draft, Health Minister Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana had also clarified a common misconception:
“We are not lowering the age of adulthood. We are ensuring that a 15-year-old who is already sexually active or at risk can access family planning services without fear or shame.”
A country at a crossroads
With more than 22,000 pregnancies among minors each year, Rwanda is grappling with questions bigger than law or medicine. The debate touches on culture, protection, education, faith, and the future of its youth.
For many adolescents, the law offers a new kind of safety one rooted in dignity, health, and hope.
For others, especially parents and religious leaders, it raises fears about moral erosion and the weakening of family guidance.
But at its heart, this moment reveals something essential: Rwanda is confronting reality with honesty. And the conversation sometimes painful, sometimes hopeful is part of the country’s commitment to human development.
As Rwanda implements Law No. 026/2025, the real challenge begins: ensuring that access to services is paired with strong education, emotional support, community dialogue, and respect for families.
It is a national reflection on how to protect a generation standing at the fragile edge between childhood and adulthood and how to give them the tools to choose life, safety, and a future they deserve.
