Rwanda National Police

Kiramuruzi Sector of Gatsibo District, on December 14, held a campaign to raise awareness against teenage pregnancies and to protect and promote the rights of children.

The campaign brought together about 1500 locals, majority the young people. 

It started with a walk dubbed: “Fighting and preventing teenage pregnancies.”

The young people walked about 2km with placards and banners with messages calling for the protection of children against sexual abuses.

Gatsibo is listed among the ten districts with high cases of child mothers, according to the report.

Other districts are Nyagatare, Kirehe, Bugesera, Gasabo, Rubavu, Kayonza, Musanze, Ngoma and Rwamagana.

While addressing the residents, Inspector of Police (IP) Jacques Munana, the commander for Kiramuruzi Police station, reminded them that protecting the rights of children is not just the duty of parents but the community as a whole. 

"When children are at home they are under the watch of parents but where they running errands in the community they're equally under the watch of everyone," IP Munana told the residents.

He also warned against child labour where minors are employed to do domestic chores either as household servants or baby sitters.

"Don't witness such sexual and other abuses directed to children and keep quiet; share information to ensure that such abusers are brought to justice. Children are supposed to be in school," IP Munana said.

He also called for ownership against illicit drugs by reporting traffickers and dealers.

One of the local leaders from Kiramuruzi, Jackson Orora, urged young girls to say no to gifts that men use to seduce them into sexual malpractices, which result into unwanted pregnancies. 

"Teenage pregnancies is an indication that it could as well result into contracting STDs such as AIDS," Orora observed. 

"Such abuses pose threat to the development of girl child, but sometimes this results from the negligence of parents and domestic conflicts," Orora said, calling for information sharing on families facing internal wrangles