This is through the UNESCO Program "Our Right Our Lives Our Future', aimed at supporting the country to deliver comprehensive sexuality education for adolescents and young people in Sub-Saharan Africa
The program helps young people to access information about Sexual reproductive health, combat and prevent unwanted pregnancies, Gender-Based violence (GBV) and HIV/AIDS.
The study began on June 14th , 2024, and will end in August. It is being conducted in secondary schools and institutions involved in combating and preventing Gender-Based Violence(GBV) and teenage pregnancies.
The research is being conducted across all four provinces of Rwanda and in the City of Kigali.
Currently, the research is being conducted in selected thirty (30) secondary schools and Institutions (Private and Public) dealing with Gender Based Violence (GBV).
Some of the selected secondary schools where the research was conducted include; Saint Joseph Secondary School (ESSJT) and Groupe Scholaire Saint Vincent Palloti Gikondo.
Rafiki Justin Nsengimana, the Executive Director of Happy Family Rwanda Organization (HFRO), says that the Objective of this initiative is to understand the factors that contribute on Teenage Pregnancies and Details related to GBV Cases in Rwanda.
He says that 'the Information from this research will be used to respond on preventing and reducing GBV Cases and Teenage Pregnancies in Rwanda'.
Chanceline UWIMPAYE, a student of Saint Joseph Secondary School is one of the participants providing information in this research. She shares a view that youth should be content with their lives to avoid temptations that could lead to unwanted pregnancies.
"We should learn to be satisfied with what we have as this will help us to avoid temptations. It will also help us to continue our education without interruption. because when someone becomes a parent at a young age they are not prepared for it, this leads to the failure and sometimes dropping out of the school' she said.
Richard MUSENGIMANA, Other student at Saint Joseph, observes that the role of parents in discussing reproductive health with their childrens reflects the dominant importance as it helps to reduce unwanted pregnancies.
And what can help us to reduce such teenage unwanted pregnancies is that 'The parents have to talk to their children about Sexual Reproductive Health and not to be afraid to tell them the truth about their lives because many parents have a habit to avoid this conversation', he noted.
Promise Divine IGISUBIZO from Saint Vincent Palloti Gikondo reflected on how this research would help her and other students.
She says that "This research helped me to understand the sex education and the importance of self-control with my purpose to encourage my friends to abstain', she said.
In addition to this initiative, Happy Family Rwanda Organization(HFRO) also provides trainings to the youth through various projects, such as radio drama named 'UMUZI', which conceits on Radio Rwanda (RBA)every Monday at 20;45 PM, and other social media Platforms like Twitter and YouTube as well as recreation and poetry writing competitions.
Happy Family Rwanda Organization has conducted Research in Different Provinces and the City of Kigali, working with over 1,201 students.
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