Young Men Urged to Play a Role in Combating Teenage Pregnancy

Lydia Busingye, one of the advisors from the FAWE organization, says that the time has come for young men and adult men to take part in fighting unplanned pregnancies that continue to affect teenagers. The issue of teenage pregnancies remains a major challenge in Rwanda, as statistics show an increasing number of children being born to adolescent mothers. For instance, in the Gatsibo District, between January and August of this year, 1,200 babies were born, while in the Gakenke District, 800 babies were born to girls under the age of 20.

The non-profit organization “We Got Your Back,” which focuses on combating gender-based violence and teenage pregnancies, has launched a campaign to address this issue, with a significant involvement from young men, as they are often the perpetrators. In a recent meeting aimed at finding solutions to eliminate unplanned pregnancies among teenagers, Lydia Busingye, an advisor at FAWE, said that if young men refrained from having sexual relations with girls, this problem could be eradicated.

She said, “Boys, you have understood the situation well. When a girl comes to you, do not let your masculinity take over. As you grow, your hormones develop, and certain feelings emerge, but don’t give in to those feelings—your time has not yet come. Resist and use your wisdom to save her, because if you don’t help her, she will suffer, and you won’t be able to heal.”

She added, “If you want to fight this battle, control your feelings because you are alive, and you have not yet died. If these feelings arise and a girl comes to you, use wisdom. If you see that she is in danger, your role is to save her, not to harm her.”

Shafiga Murebebwayire, the director of the Isange One Stop Center at the Rwanda National Police, stated that it is time for men and young boys to also be encouraged to avoid sexual relations with girls who are not of legal age. She said, “Girls have been the focus in combating teenage pregnancies, but it is time for things to change. We always see statistics on teenage mothers, but we don’t see the statistics of men who impregnate these girls.”

During the meeting, parents were also urged to have open discussions with their children about sexual and reproductive health and stop treating these conversations as taboos.