The government is set to introduce non-invasive prenatal paternity testing as early as six to eight weeks of pregnancy for defiled children and teenage mothers, a move officials say will strengthen the fight against sexual violence and speed up justice for victims.
The test, which works by analysing DNA from the fetus using a simple blood sample from the mother, is safe for both mother and baby. It compares the unborn child’s DNA with that of a potential father, providing early and reliable evidence for prosecution.
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"This is crucial in urgent defilement-related prosecutions, given Rwanda’s legal framework allowing early termination of pregnancy for defiled children and teen mothers,” said Charles Karangwa, Director General of the Rwanda Forensic Institute (RFI).
Until now, prosecutors relied on DNA samples from aborted foetuses—a process often compromised by contamination or degraded quality.
"With this new technology, fetal DNA is collected directly from the mother’s blood, eliminating contamination risks and ensuring accurate analysis,” Karangwa added.
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Partnership to boost forensic capacity
The RFI has begun preparations after signing a collaboration agreement with Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) in September 2025. The deal, witnessed by Justice Minister Emmanuel Ugirashebuja and Chinese Ambassador Wenqi Gao, will provide training, equipment, and technology transfer.
The service is expected to launch in January 2026, once staff training and equipment acquisition are complete.
According to Evariste Murwanashyaka, programmes manager at the Umbrella of Human Rights Organisations in Rwanda (CLADHO), the initiative comes at the right time.
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"It is often difficult to prosecute perpetrators before the child is born, unless they confess. This technology will help avoid long justice processes or perpetrators disappearing altogether,” he said.
Rising teen pregnancies, limited justice
Rwanda continues to grapple with alarming numbers of teenage pregnancies, many resulting from defilement. In 2024 alone, the country recorded 22,454 cases, up from 22,055 in 2023. Most victims were under 17 years old.
Yet convictions remain limited. In the 2023–2024 fiscal year, prosecutors handled 3,625 defilement cases. Only 1,613 reached court, leading to 1,711 convictions and 911 acquittals. In the Eastern Province, for example, 8,801 teenage pregnancies were reported in 2023, but just 70 perpetrators had been prosecuted by mid-2024.
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A 2020 study by the Legal Aid Forum and AJPRODHO-JIJUKIRWA found that only 15% of defilement cases in Rwanda were taken to court.
Officials hope the introduction of prenatal paternity DNA testing will close this justice gap by providing swift, reliable evidence to hold perpetrators accountable.