Across Rwanda, young people, particularly adolescent girls and young women, continue to face major challenges in accessing accurate, timely, and youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services.
The 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey reveals that 5% of girls aged 15-19 have begun childbearing; 4% have given birth, and 1% are pregnant with their first child. These numbers, though slightly lower than previous years, highlights a persistent issue: too many youth and adolescents are still making critical life decisions without the knowledge or resources to do so safely.
Youth and Adolescents don’t seek SRHR services due to lack of awareness about the availability of services, myths about services, fear of judgement, stigma in the society and others. This results in early and unwanted pregnancies leading to school drop out, sexually transmitted diseases/infections, malnutrition in children, gender-based violence and low country economic development.
CHB’s Work
We believe that every young person, regardless of where they live or who they are, deserves access to accurate information, protection, dignity, and voice. Our work contributes to building a generation of informed, confident youth who are capable of making safe, healthy, and empowered choices.
Providing information regarding sexual health to the youth is one of our objectives to foster their improved and informed decision making about their sexual health; help them avoid unwanted pregnancies and unsafe practices.
We contribute towards eradicating these challenges by:
- Empowering Youth and Adolescents
We equip young people with the knowledge and life skills they need to understand their bodies, manage their emotions, and protect their wellbeing. Through interactive education and youth-led activities, we help them grow with confidence, responsibility, and self-respect.
- Raising Awareness and Promoting Health Education
We engage schools, families, and communities to normalize conversations about puberty, reproductive health, gender, and self-care. Through storytelling, peer education, and safe spaces, we help young people make sense of their changing bodies and build healthy relationships based on respect and consent.
- Breaking Stigma and Myths
We work to confront the taboos that surround topics like menstruation, body image, and sexuality. By engaging parents, teachers, and youth themselves, we encourage fact-based, inclusive discussions that challenge harmful stereotypes and promote empathy.
- Linking Youth to Health and Support Services
We support young people to connect with youth-friendly services, including counseling, menstrual hygiene support, HIV testing, and psychosocial care. Many adolescents don’t seek help because they fear judgment or don’t know where to go. We ensure that no one is left behind, especially those in rural or vulnerable settings.
- Advocating for Youth-Friendly Policies and Systems
CHB actively supports national efforts to promote adolescent health and rights by advocating for comprehensive, age-appropriate SRHR education and accessible support systems. We collaborate with local leaders and institutions to create environments that prioritize youth voices and protect their rights.