Rwanda Considers Liberalizing Abortion Restrictions

By Lisa Correnti | March 29, 2012

Rwanda’s Parliament is considering making abortion available beyond what is now permitted.  Currently abortions are allowed when the life of the mother is endangered, for rape and incest, and for fetal abnormalities.

It is no coincidence that just last week the first-ever national study on abortion in Rwanda was released. The study was conducted by the U.S. Guttmacher Institute and the National University of Rwanda, School of Public Health. The report concluded “an urgent need exists in Rwanda to address unmet need for contraception, to strengthen family planning services, to broaden access to legal abortion, and to improve postabortion care.”

The report found that 6,700 women received medical attention for complications from induced abortion in 2009. “Nationally, the estimated induced abortion rate is 25 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, or approximately 60,000 abortions annually.”

Rwanda is a signatory of the Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa – Maputo Protocol, which is the only human rights international instrument that specifically mentions abortion. In 2003 when Rwanda signed the regional treaty they submitted a reservation to Article 14 which includes access to abortion for cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother.

Parliament will be debating the removal of this protocol which was submitted and approved in a draft Presidential Order by the cabinet.

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