The subject of abortion has drawn mixed reactions among Rwandans
The new Rwanda penal code criminales abortion, but permitting it on specific grounds.
Some citizens support the code while others remain neutral over the issue.
Mukakamari Emerithe, is a mother of 4, she said that the new code will increase the number of prostitutes women since girls and women will be allowed to induce their own abortion.
Contrary to Aloys Rukundo, a health community worker, who supports the code saying that it, will help in reducing the number of women dying when unsafely terminating pregnancy so that it does not result in birth.
On the side of religious and church goers, abortion is viewed as a sin, Iryanyirinka Betty, 22 years old girl, is a member of Voice of Hope choir, in a church called Neo-Apostolic church in Rwanda.
She says that despite the positive impacts of legalizing abortion, allowing abortion is murder of an innocent baby and it doesn’t favour women’s health.
However, Onesphore Dushimirimana, a young graduate of the National University of Rwanda, viewed abortion as a logical solution to unwanted pregnancies resulting from ineffectual contraceptives when taken in terms of family planning for married women.
“The formulation of abortion as a form of family planning for married women would be “thinkable” when both medical and non-medical practitioners agree on the relative safety of the procedure.” Said Onesphore
According to human right activists the new law conflicts with the constitution and children’s rights.
Recently, Edouard Munyamariza, the Chairman, Civil Society Platform, told media that lowering sanctions on abortion is like giving a green light to the youth to do it, adding that the new law should have provided tougher punishments to avoid “such criminal acts”.
Under article 165 of crimes regarding abortion, there is no criminal liability for a woman who induces her own abortion and a medical doctor who aids abortion when a woman conceived as a result of rape; forced marriage; incest in the second degree; and when the continuation of pregnancy seriously jeopardizes the health of the unborn baby or that of the mother.
The article explains that the act can be allowed only if the woman who seeks abortion submits to the doctor an order issued by a competent court after deciding it as a matter of urgency.
It is estimated that 60, 000 abortions are carried out annually in Rwanda, the majority of which are unsafe, 40 per cent leading to complications that require treatment.
Article 162 on abortion says that any person who carries out self-induced abortion shall be liable to a jail term of one to three years and a fine of Rwf50, 000 to Rwf200, 000, while causing a woman to abort without her consent, under the new law, also attracts an imprisonment term of 10 to 15 years.
In case of mutual consent, however, a person who causes a woman to abort shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of two years to five years.
A person who administers delivers or orders a substance to a woman and causes abortion which results into death shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of 15 to 20 years if the woman had consented to the abortion; and to life imprisonment and a fine of between Rwf 200, 000 to Rwf2 million, if such a woman had not consented to the abortion.
The new penal code replaces the old one, which has been in place since 1977.
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