Religion and Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy in Burundi
摘要
Faced with multifaceted challenges in the area of sexual and reproductive health, such as teenage pregnancies in schools, gender-based violence, early marriages, low adherence to family planning, very high fertility rates, among many, the Burundian government has since 2007 undertook a national reproductive health policy. The policy is based on eight components, including (to focus on what is most relevant to us): family planning, prevention and treatment of abortions, prevention and treatment of STIs and HIV/AIDS, and promotion of RH among young people and adolescents, etc. However, the implementation process of the said policy remains a challenge. The ministries in charge of health and education, respectively, advocate modern contraceptive methods and sexuality education in schools, while some religious denominations prioritize natural methods such as sexual abstinence in accordance with their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. This chapter therefore analyzes the contribution of religions to the public policy process, taking the culturally delicate issue of sexual and reproductive health policy as a case study. It assesses the scope of the teachings inculcated by religions and analyzes the contradiction between these teachings and the actions promoted by the government in this highly sensitive realm of sexual and reproductive health.