The law comes amid rising numbers of teenage pregnancies, but critics argue that it doesn’t address the root causes and instead reflects a failure of prior strategies aimed at protecting children from abuse.

Evariste Murwanashya, the National Coordinator at CLADHO, a local civil society organization that often advocates for children's rights, expressed concern that providing contraception to minors could be interpreted as giving them or their abusers the green light to engage in sexual activity.

He said, “Saying that children can take family planning pills is almost like giving them permission to go and have sex, or worse, it gives abusers a chance to take advantage of them. We believe the country is not ready for this. It shows how we’ve failed with the other strategies meant to protect children.”

Murwanashya also noted that while contraception may prevent pregnancy, it does not protect against HIV/AIDS.

“We know that HIV among youth is rising it’s said to be as high as 35%. Those pills, regardless of type, prevent pregnancy but not HIV. So, a young person could still be infected. Parents must understand that their children’s lives are in their hands. They should put in more effort to protect them from anything that could lead to sexual activity.”

The provision was included in the law by the Ministry of Health and approved by Parliament, but the Ministry clarified that some services, such as sterilization, remain off-limits to minors.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescents have the right to access reproductive health services, mental health support, and HIV-related care  without requiring parental consent.

A 2023 study in Rwanda found that 51% of school-going youth had engaged in sexual activity before the age of 12, and 75% had done so before turning 15.

The same study also found that adolescent girls account for 35% of new HIV infections annually three times the rate of their male peers. In 2024 alone, more than 22,000 teenage girls became pregnant.