Parliamentarians in collaboration with Rwanda Women’s Network have requested the government to take severe measures against men that impregnate young girls including harsh legal redresses.
The matter has been raised by Rwandan Parliamentarians’ Network on Population Development (RPRPD) at the parliament last week during talks regarding how university students can be helped to access reproductive health services.
A parliamentarian John Luku-Rwabyoma noted that the role of boys and men in reproductive health should be taken into account.
“Why should we keep quiet in case a boy impregnates a young girl?” he wondered.
He advised that men and boys should be made to embrace and respect moral values since impregnated girls are mostly exposed to risks than they do.
“Boys must understand that impregnating girls is wrong; it is neither a pride nor one of Rwandan values for someone intending to build a strong family devoid of instability. Children from earlier relationships are bound to cause conflicts. Boys should abstain aor or use condoms,” he considered.
Ancille Niyibigira working with Rwanda Women’s Network also said that boys should be sensitized through campaigns to be accountable of their behaviours.
The Minister of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), Oda Gasinzigwa, says that only girls are blamed by society, yet boys are equally responsible for the unwanted pregnancies. who have a partner with whom they made sex. She further argues that the government and partners should think of ways of managing the situation including penalties for boys impregnating girls.
“The society should intensify efforts against unwanted pregnancies, including legal actions,” said the minister.
The permanent secretary in (MIGEPROF Umulisa Henriette, recently warned that fathers that deny support to children claiming they are not theirs will be taken for DNA tests since the services will soon be introduced in the country.
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