Rwanda Grapples with Teenage Pregnancies Amid Parental Silence on Sexual Education
Rwanda is facing a serious challenge of teenage pregnancies, with data from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion revealing that over 70,000 adolescent girls were impregnated between 2016 and August 2019.
From January to August 2019 alone, 15,596 teenage pregnancies were recorded.
One of the major contributing factors to the persistence of this issue is the lack of knowledge about sexual and reproductive health, coupled with insufficient parental or teacher supervision.
Some teenage mothers have shared that if they had been informed about sexual and reproductive health earlier, they might not have engaged in sexual activities, as they were unaware of the potential consequences.
On the other hand, some parents argue that discussing sex and reproductive health with their children is difficult, citing cultural sensitivities in Rwandan society where such topics may not be openly accepted.
Due to the lack of clarity on when and how to talk to children about sexuality and reproductive health, IGIHE interviewed experts closely following the issue to determine the appropriate age for such conversations.
At What Age Should Children Learn About Sex?
In an interview with IGIHE, Diane Uwamariya, the Communications Officer at the Health and Development Initiative (HDI), explained that children can start learning about sex and reproductive health at any age, depending on their developmental stage.
“For example, when a child reaches the age of three or four and begins to become curious about their body, they may start to notice differences between boys and girls. A girl might play with a boy and wonder what he has that she doesn’t, and vice versa,” she said.
At this stage, a parent should start by explaining the body parts in age-appropriate language, avoiding direct terms for genitalia to prevent children from misusing those words.
She gave an example of how a parent might say, “When you’re playing with a boy, don’t touch his private parts,” without using explicit terms.
For children aged 7 to 10, parents should begin teaching girls about menstruation, personal hygiene, and bodily changes.
She emphasized that from the age of eight, parents should no longer hide essential information from their children.
“At this point, the child has already started school and interacts with peers who may give them different information. They start asking questions like, ‘Where do babies come from?’ or ‘How are they made?’” she said.
At this stage, parents should explain physical development clearly—telling boys they may experience voice changes or nocturnal emissions, and girls that they will grow breasts and begin menstruating.
How Should Children Be Engaged in These Talks?
According to Uwamariya, when a child is curious and given the space to express themselves, they will gradually open up and share their understanding or misconceptions about sex.
“If you listen and create a safe space, they will tell you what they know. That allows you to address the falsehoods and distractions they might have heard,” she said.
When a child unexpectedly asks a sensitive question, the parent should avoid scolding or reacting harshly. Instead, they should gently guide the child with accurate and age-appropriate information.
She added that sexual education should align with the child’s developmental stage. For instance, a four-year-old shouldn’t be taught the same content as a teenager.
Children over the age of 10 should be taught about avoiding unplanned pregnancies and the use of condoms. At this stage, using indirect language like “little bird,” “cigarette,” or “sweet” may be effective. Once a child reaches 11 or older, it is appropriate to use correct anatomical terms without shame.
In 2017, Imbuto Foundation published a booklet titled “Let’s Talk, My Child” which provides parents with guidance on how to initiate and manage conversations with their children about reproductive health.
Writer by Alex RUKUNDO
Email: rukundoalex540@gmail.com
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