By Bertrand Byishimo
January 17, 2022
Regional Civil Society Organisations have convened in Kigali for a two-day conference to discuss, share, and foster partnerships on access to safe abortion and sexual reproductive health.
The conference was organised by a coalition of Health Development Initiative (HDI), Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development (GLIHD), Ihorere Munyarwanda (IMRO) and Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion (RNGOF on HIV/AIDS & HP).
By Nasra Bishumba
Published : October 19, 2021
The Supreme Court on Monday, October 18 heard a case in which a local non-governmental organisation, Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development (GLIHD), sought to challenge two articles within the Penal Code regarding safe abortion.
Article 72 of the law determining the jurisdiction of courts stipulates that any person, company or association with legal personality can petition the Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional if they have any interest.
Continued: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/supreme-court-hears-case-safe-abortion
By Brenda Mutoni
September 30, 2021
Worldwide, women enjoy 25% fewer legal rights than men. Millions of women around the world are not able to make decisions about their own bodies.
According to research published in September 2021 by UNFPA titled “My body is my own. Claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination”, just over half of women and girls in middle- and low-income countries have the right to decide for themselves whether they have sex, use contraception or seek medical care. In some sub-Saharan countries, the figure is even below 10%.
By Joan Mbabazi
Published : September 30, 2020
Participants representing different organisations encouraged the youth and women to make use of safe abortion services.
Health Development Initiative (HDI) on Monday, September 28 partnered with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other organisations to celebrate the International Safe Abortion Day. The celebrations were held at Kibagabaga Hospital and the main message for the day centred on measures to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
Continued: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/rwanda-celebrates-international-safe-abortion-day
by Ange Iliza
Published : August 17, 2020
Health Development Initiative, a local NGO that seeks to boost the living standards of Rwandans, has carried out an intensive practical training about rights, legal frameworks pertaining to safe abortion.
The training that was held in Kigali on August 14-15, was attended by over 40 final year medical students who have already started operating in different hospitals in Rwanda.
Continued: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/news/featured-hdi-trains-future-physicians-safe-abortion
Paul Kagame orders release of women and girls jailed over abortion in Rwanda
Women’s rights activists welcome presidential pardon of 367 female prisoners as evidence of progress
Samuel Okiror
Fri 5 Apr 2019
Rwanda’s president has pardoned hundreds of girls and women jailed for abortion.
The women are expected to be released immediately under the presidential prerogative.
Rwanda’s Proposed Abortion Amendment Takes Procedure Out of the Courts
Rwanda’s current penal code says the final decision over whether a woman can have an abortion lies with courts. Often women have to wait weeks or months for a ruling. Now, a new amendment would allow most abortions to go through with the consent of the woman and her doctor.
Written by Rodrigue Rwirahira
Published on Jan. 22, 2018
KIGALI, Rwanda – Civil society groups, health experts and lawmakers in Rwanda are divided over a proposed change to the penal code that would make it easier for a woman to get an abortion. The draft amendment, which was passed by Parliament in December and now needs the approval of President Paul Kagame, would allow a woman and her doctor to decide among themselves whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Currently the final decision lies with a third party: the courts.
What difference will revised Penal Code make on abortion?
By: Collins Mwai
Published: November 01, 2017
The draft Penal Code – currently under parliament’s scrutiny– among other things proposes scraping of the requirement of a court order before procuring an abortion.
This will broaden exemptions from criminal liability for abortion from the current four conditions to five.
Currently, anyone seeking an abortion is expected to submit to a doctor an order issued by a competent court recognising that pregnancy is the result of rape, second degree incest, or forced marriage.
Continued at source: http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/read/222757/
Implementing legal abortion in Rwanda and its challenges
May 23, 2017
The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) is the main legal instrument for the protection of the rights of women and girls in Africa and the most comprehensive on women’s rights globally. The Protocol went into effect in November 2005, after the minimum 15 of the then 53 African Union member countries ratified it. Today, 49 countries have ratified.
Rwanda signed and ratified the Protocol in 2004 but placed a reservation on Article 14.2.C, which stipulates that countries should “protect the reproductive rights of women by authorizing medical abortion in 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 or the fetus. It subsequently lifted the reservation in 2012, making Rwanda fully committed to the Protocol.
Continued at source: News Ghana: https://www.newsghana.com.gh/implementing-legal-abortion-in-rwanda-and-its-challenges/
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