Rwanda’s parliament has approved a new law that allows teenagers as young as 15 to access contraception without parental consent, a move aimed at tackling the country’s high rate of teenage pregnancies.

The decision has sparked a divided response in the largely conservative nation, where an average of 22,000 teen pregnancies were recorded last year.

The healthcare services bill, passed on Monday, lowers the legal age for accessing contraceptives from 18 to 15.

According to the country’s health ministry, the previous age limit was a key factor in the high rates of unintended teen pregnancies, which have led to 100,000 cases over the past five years and are a leading cause of school dropouts.

The legislation allows teenagers to obtain contraception like the pill and implants, with lawmakers prioritizing the use of condoms.

The new law has been hailed by some as a progressive and necessary step. John Scarius, the programmes’ director at the Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development, told AFP that the move was a “good thing” given that “Rwandan girls are sexually active even before 15 years.”

He expressed optimism that the law would lead to a decrease in teenage pregnancies, minimize school dropouts, and reduce illegal abortions and related fatalities.

However, the decision has also met with strong opposition. Karemera Charlotte, a parent and retired healthcare worker in Kigali, voiced concerns that the law “opens a very dangerous door.”

She stated that the idea of a 15-year-old going to school with contraception is “unfathomable,” and she fears it will “abet immorality” and “actually promote abortion,” which is illegal in Rwanda except in cases of rape, incest, or forced marriage.

The new law comes as sub-Saharan Africa continues to see the slowest decline in adolescent birth rates globally, according to the World Health Organisation.

With 40% of Rwanda’s population under 15, the government is grappling with a demographic challenge where international trends on adolescent birth rates have yet to take a significant hold.

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