The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) on Monday launched a week-long campaign in secondary schools to educate students on children’s rights and the risks of teenage pregnancies. The initiative comes amid a rise in adolescent pregnancies across the country.
Providence Umurungi, NCHR chairperson, urged young people, especially girls, to be firm in saying no to sexual advances and to report any attempts at exploitation. “They should know how to say no, and even if pressured, report to the relevant authorities so perpetrators can be held accountable,” she said. “We continue to see children getting pregnant while those responsible remain hidden and unpunished.”
Students at Camp Kigali Secondary School identified shyness, poverty, and family conflicts as key factors that leave girls vulnerable. Mbabazi Hirwa, a second-year student, said fear and financial need often prevent girls from refusing sexual advances. Kirezi Sada, a fourth-year student, added that girls may worry about retaliation or ridicule if they say no.
Boys acknowledged that sisters’ shyness and difficult circumstances make them more susceptible, while also noting that some risky behavior can attract unwanted attention.
Data from the 2025 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey show adolescent pregnancies have increased to 8%, up from 5% in 2020. Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion figures indicate that 19,701 girls became pregnant in 2020, rising to 24,472 in 2022, before slightly declining in recent years.
NCHR research further shows that 57% of pregnancies among girls under 18 involve friends, 7% neighbors, and 2% relatives. Among those surveyed, 68% of girls under 18 were impregnated through statutory rape, 7% through sexual assault, and 25% of girls aged 18–19 had unintended pregnancies from consensual sexual activity.
Umurungi emphasized the importance of strict enforcement of laws against perpetrators and warned that teenage pregnancies have lasting consequences for both girls and their families.
