“The choice is in her hands.”: Rwandan Women’s Autonomy in Family Planning Decision- Making and Use and the Resulting Goals Achieved

Hilary Schwandt, Western Washington University
Iris Seiwerath, a student at Western Washington University
Aubree Radtke, Western Washington University
Sequoia Dearborn, Western Washington University
Marina Koch, Western Washington University
Mya Landback, Western Washington University
Isabella Lowell, Western Washington University
Sandra Mumararungu, University of Rwanda
Sydney Patterson, Western Washington University
Biganette-Evidente Shemeza, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Nate Tatem, Western Washington University
Ruth Ufitimbabazi, University of Rwanda
Liz Uwera, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Seth L. Feinberg, Western Washington University

The increase in family planning use in Rwanda has been impressive – from 17% to 64% among married women between 2005 and 2020. The most commonly used modern contraceptive method in 2020 was the implant, with 27% of married women using this method. This study is interested in understanding the experience of Rwandan women in making decisions about their family size and birth spacing desires, family planning use to achieve those plans, and their access to the tools to implant those choices. The qualitative study included 16 in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions with family planning nurses and current implant users split evenly by demographic and geographic area, in two districts of Rwanda, Musanze and Nyamasheke, in July 2024. The study results show that women in Rwanda are empowered to set goals, use family planning on their own terms, select long term methods that meet their birth spacing desires, and achieve their goals through the implementation of their plans and choices. When women have access to the tools necessary to plan their reproductive lives, and the autonomy to make and implement their choices, they are able to dream and work toward those dreams.

Keywords: Family Planning and Contraception, Qualitative data/methods/approaches, Gender Dynamics, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

See extended abstract.