Rwanda just dropped the contraceptive access age from 18 down to 15 without needing parents to sign off, and activists are calling it a massive W even though the government catches heat for being authoritarian on other stuff. Teenage pregnancy sits at five percent there, but feminist groups wanted it pushed even lower since research shows most girls start having sex around 14 or 15. The country already lets minors get abortions under certain conditions, which made the old contraceptive rule kind of backwards.
Meanwhile, Uganda is having a meltdown over the same idea. Their health director floated allowing 15-year-olds to get birth control and parliament lost it, with one lawmaker saying it would legalize child abuse. Another admitted she personally fears contraceptives and uses the rhythm method instead. Uganda has a 25 percent teen pregnancy rate, five times higher than Rwanda, but cultural and religious pushback keeps contraceptive use at 30 percent. One woman who got pregnant at 15 said her whole life derailed because nobody explained how prevention works.
Meanwhile, Uganda is having a meltdown over the same idea. Their health director floated allowing 15-year-olds to get birth control and parliament lost it, with one lawmaker saying it would legalize child abuse. Another admitted she personally fears contraceptives and uses the rhythm method instead. Uganda has a 25 percent teen pregnancy rate, five times higher than Rwanda, but cultural and religious pushback keeps contraceptive use at 30 percent. One woman who got pregnant at 15 said her whole life derailed because nobody explained how prevention works.
