Local government authorities have been criticised for failing to prioritize the fight against teenage pregnancies and defilement, despite data showing that most cases involve perpetrators known to the victims, neighbors, friends, or even family members.
Many of these cases go unreported, a situation the Minister of Gender and Family Promotion, Consolee Uwimana, said could change if local leaders took more responsibility.
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Uwimana expressed her concerns about "inaction" by grassroots leaders as she addressed the Parliamentary Committee on Unity and Human Rights and the Fight against Genocide on February 11, while responding to issues raised in the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) 2023-2024 report.
According to the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion statistics, Rwanda recorded 22,454 teenage pregnancies in 2024, up from 22,055 in 2023 and 24,472 in 2022.
The NCHR report also found that 69% of pregnant teenage victims had not reported their cases, underscoring the need for stronger advocacy, community awareness, and legal accountability.
The report shows that 57 per cent of teenage pregnancies result from relationships with the teenagers and their acquaintances and friends, about 20 per cent from neighbours, 7.5 per cent from unfamiliar individuals, about three per cent from family members.
She emphasized that these cases are not isolated incidents but recurring patterns within communities, which local authorities and families can actively work to prevent.
"The issue is significant, yet village leaders are neither proactive nor cooperative in the fight against teenage pregnancies. We have nearly 70 leaders at the grassroots level, but many do not treat teenage pregnancy as an urgent crisis," Uwimana said.
"Community health workers visit families to monitor malnutrition, yet when they encounter a sexually abused child, they often ignore the situation instead of reporting it. 'Inshuti z'umuryango' [family friends] may encourage these children to return to school without investigating the underlying issues, which often stem from family conflicts."
"We have many leaders, but few are fulfilling their responsibilities," the minister said.
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She further called for a more proactive role in preventing teenage pregnancies.
"As a society, we must watch out for one another's problem. If you see a child engaging in risky behavior and stay silent, you cannot be sure that the same behavior will affect your own child. We must move beyond assigning blame and instead focus on solutions. The child belongs to the community, and we must all contribute to their protection," she added.
Uwimana called on local leaders to adopt a more people-centered approach: "We need leaders who genuinely care about the well-being of citizens--not just those who focus on agriculture while ignoring children who fail to attend school."
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Members of Parliament also raised concerns about the lack of action at the grassroots level, citing cases they encountered during their visits to different districts.
"In one district, we found a case that had been ignored for nearly two years," MP Therence Kayigire.
"A child had been sexually abused, and even the perpetrator admitted to the offence and attempted to negotiate a settlement. Despite the available evidence, no action had been taken, and the perpetrator was still moving freely. When we intervened, within seven days, the case was finally scheduled for court. It appears that only when the case was exposed did authorities feel pressured to act."
"We urge the ministry to work with prosecutors to ensure defilement cases are handled swiftly," Kayigire added.
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Patience Mazimpaka, a community health worker at Kirinda Health Dispensary in Murambi Sector, Karongi District, told The New Times that tracking cases and preventing teenage pregnancies remains a challenge.
"We often see teenage girls return home pregnant after spending time in other places like Kigali, and they hide information about the father of the unborn child," Mazimpaka said.
He added that teenagers feared speaking up, worrying about a backlash from society.
"They keep their pregnancies secret until they cannot hide them anymore, and even then, key details--such as who the father is--often remain undisclosed." he said, urging families and teenage mothers to cooperate in addressing the issue.
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Beatrice Mukandera, another community health worker from Kibirizi Sector in Nyanza District, said teenage mothers often withhold information, revealing details only when the pregnancy is advanced or after birth.
"We collect data, offer health services, and provide advice, but many girls come from unstable backgrounds or return home pregnant after working elsewhere. When we try to intervene early, families sometimes see us as interfering in their private matters," Mukandera said.
Philippe Ntampaka, a village leader in Kamatamu Cell, Kacyiru Sector, Gasabo District, says they engage with the community and monitor at-risk youth, but challenges such as negative influences from schoolmates and peer pressure had proven persistent.
"Teenagers know how to hide their behavior, making it hard for parents to track them. Local authorities must act as guardians, not just leaders. If those responsible for teenage pregnancies see that people are watching and action is being taken, they will be more cautious," Ntampaka told The New Times.
During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the general prosecution received 3,625 defilement cases. Of these, 1,613 were filed in court, while 1,970 were dropped, and 42 remain pending. A total of 2,622 cases went to trial, resulting in 1,711 convictions and 911 acquittals.
