Rwanda lowers contraception age to 15 to combat rising teen pregnancy

In a move to curb a growing rate of teenage pregnancies, Rwanda has officially approved a new law that lowers the legal age for accessing contraception from 18 to 15.

The healthcare services bill, passed by lawmakers on Monday, August 3, 2025, allows teenagers to obtain contraceptives, including pills and implants, without requiring parental consent.

The decision comes as a response to a persistent and worrying trend of teen pregnancies in the largely conservative nation.

According to the health ministry, there were over 22,000 cases of unintended teen pregnancies last year alone.

A parliamentary report revealed that over the past five years, 100,000 teenage girls have experienced unwanted pregnancies, a leading factor in school dropouts across the country.

The new law, which had been previously rejected by parliament, has been a subject of intense debate.

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Proponents of the legislation, like John Scarius, the programmes’ director at the Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development, argue that it is a necessary and progressive step.

“It has been proven that Rwandan girls are sexually active even before 15 years,” Scarius told AFP, expressing his belief that the law will lead to a decrease in teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and unsafe abortions.

He noted that while the new law allows access to various forms of contraception, lawmakers have prioritized the use of condoms.

However, the new law has also met with sharp criticism from some quarters.

Parent and retired healthcare worker Karemera Charlotte voiced her concern in the capital, Kigali, stating that the law “opens a very dangerous door.”

She argued that providing contraception to teenagers is “akin to openly abetting immorality” and expressed fear that it could actually promote abortion.

The legislation places Rwanda, a country of about 13 million people where 40% of the population is under 15, among other nations globally that are taking a direct approach to tackling adolescent sexual health.

While the new law seeks to align with global efforts to reduce adolescent birth rates, its implementation will be watched closely as the country navigates the divided opinions on the issue.