Rwanda records 3,200 legal abortions in 2025/26

By The Inspirer.

The number of women and girls receiving legal abortion services in Rwanda rose to 3,200 in the 2025/26 financial year, up from between 1,800 and 2,200 annually in previous years, according to the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC).

Abortion remains a contentious healthcare issue, particularly because of differing religious beliefs. However, Rwandan law permits the procedure under specific circumstances.

A ministerial order governing the provision of abortion services allows the procedure when a pregnancy involves a child, results from rape or follows forced marriage.

Other grounds include pregnancy resulting from sexual relations with a close relative up to the second degree of kinship, or cases in which the pregnancy threatens the life or health of the pregnant woman or the foetus.

Except where the pregnancy threatens the life or health of the woman or foetus, abortion must be performed before 22 weeks of pregnancy.

The order also provides that when a child seeks an abortion, the request must be made by their legal representatives following consultation. If the representatives disagree among themselves or with the child, the child’s wishes take precedence.

Legal abortion requests increase by more than 1,000

Dr François Regis Cyiza, head of the Maternal and Child Health Programmes Unit at RBC, said changes to the law had contributed to the increased uptake of legal abortion services.

He was speaking on October 9, 2026, during discussions between the Rwanda Parliamentary Network on Population and Development (RPRPD) and journalists.

“Comparing the figures with those of three years ago, before June 2025, we found that between 1,800 and 2,200 people received legal abortion services at health facilities each year,” he said.

“Last year, however, the number of people who sought legal abortion services reached 3,200. This represents an increase of about 1,000 people compared with previous years.”

Dr Cyiza said the increase suggested that many people had previously needed the services but faced difficulties accessing them, as they were mainly available at public and private hospitals and polyclinics.

Article 5 of the ministerial order provides that legal abortion services may be offered at public or private health facilities authorised by the Ministry of Health, including hospitals, health centres and polyclinics.

The ministry may also authorise a private health facility to provide the services after assessing whether it meets the required standards and has the capacity to do so.

Legal abortion services to expand to health centres nationwide

RBC said a pilot programme introducing abortion services at health centres had produced positive results, paving the way for its expansion nationwide.

The year-long pilot was implemented at 43 health centres in Musanze, Karongi, Rwamagana and Ruhango districts.

Of the 3,200 women and girls who sought legal abortion services in the 2025/26 financial year, between 900 and 1,000 received them at health centres participating in the pilot, Dr Cyiza said.

“Between 900 and 1,000 people received the services at health centres during the last financial year, from July 2025 to June 2026,” he said.

Under the programme, a trained nurse or midwife receives the patient, conducts an assessment and arranges the necessary tests.

The test results are entered into an electronic system and reviewed by a doctor at a hospital. The doctor discusses the findings with the nurse or midwife who received the patient before a decision is made on providing the service.

Dr Cyiza said the pilot had demonstrated that health centres could provide the services appropriately.

“We are now planning to extend the programme across the country,” he said.

How will faith-based health facilities respond?

Although legal abortion is recognised as a healthcare service, some religious organisations continue to oppose it on the grounds of their beliefs about protecting human life from conception.

This raises questions about how faith-based health facilities will participate in efforts to expand access to the services, particularly as some religious organisations also object to certain contraceptive methods.

Dr Cyiza said RBC works with faith-based health facilities, but patients who cannot receive a particular service at a facility because of its religious beliefs are helped to find an alternative provider.

“Health facilities affiliated with religious organisations work with the Government, and the doctors there generally provide healthcare services. However, because of their beliefs, they may not agree to provide certain services, including legal abortion,” he said.

He added that the facilities work with other providers to ensure patients are directed to places where they can access the services they need.