Gibson, Sarah Elizabeth.Durden, Emma.Mukamana, Jeanne d’Arc.2025-11-172025-11-1720252025https://hdl.handle.net/10413/24100Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.With its focus on radio stations’ coverage of the revised law expanding access to abortion for women and girls under certain circumstances in Rwanda, this thesis explores the role of the media in communicating about this seemingly controversial issue, in a context with a high rate of early unintended pregnancies. Early and unintended pregnancies are recognised as a concerning phenomenon, resulting in serious consequences for the health and wellbeing of girls and young women (Choonara et al., 2014). Further, unintended pregnancies are often linked to an increased risk of unsafe abortions (Mohamed et al., 2023). Adolescent pregnancy rates in the East and Southern Africa region are estimated at twice the global average, with 92 births per 1000 girls (UNFPA, 2021). It is in this context that Rwanda revised its penal code in 2018 to expand access to safe abortion services for girls under the age of 18, and women under certain circumstances. While the amended law may be driven from a concern about protecting children rather than advancing Sexual And Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), abortion is among the recognised SRHR services, and respecting women’s rights to safe abortion and their SRHR is linked to respecting women’s right to life (African Union, 2003; Durojaye, Mirugi-Mukundi, and Ngwena, 2021; Starrs et al., 2018; WHO, 2022). Research indicates that there are significant gaps in protecting and respecting SRHR in Africa, specifically in sub-Saharan countries (Durojaye et al., 2021; Poku, 2020; Starrs et al., 2018). This may be a result of restrictive laws and policies as well as prevailing religious, cultural beliefs and attitudes related to SRHR. The media has a key role to play in shaping public discourse and impacts attitudes toward SRHR and abortion access as a health service and a right (Fraile and Hernández, 2024). Recognising the role that radio plays in Rwanda as a trusted source of information (Nduhura and Prieler, 2017), in this study I analysed 36 broadcasts collected from eight non-state radio stations, which covered the legal reform of 2018 expanding access to abortion for minors in Rwanda. I also analysed eight in-depth interviews with key informants from these radio stations. Through Harbemas’ (1989) theory of the public sphere and Cohen’s (1972) moral panics theory, qualitative content analysis (QCA) (Schreier, 2014) showed that the selected radio stations served as an inclusive public sphere where citizens held honest and, in some instances, reasoned discussions about issues of concern such as the legal provision of abortion for minors in Rwanda. However, it also showed that some more powerful members of the society, predominantly religious leaders, men and parents, expressed themselves opposing the legal reform, where the radio coverage aligned with moral panics. The data also showed that the legal reform was challenged because of prevailing socio-cultural and religious beliefs that oppose abortion, with some citizens considering the law as encouraging immorality, particularly for girls. The analysis showed that gender inequality and discrimination against girls and women play a role in challenging the implementation of the law allowing abortion for minors and the realisation of SRHR. The analysis of the coverage of this issue shows the role of radio stations and the media in general in offering opportunities to citizens to realise their right to expression regarding issues of concern affecting society. Iqoqa. Ngokugxila ekusakazweni kweziteshi zomsakazo ngomthetho obuyekeziwe owandisa ukufinyelela kokuhushula izisu kwabesifazane namantombazane ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile eRwanda, le thesis ihlola indima yabezindaba ekukhulumeni ngale ndaba ebonakala iyimpikiswano, esimweni esinezinga eliphezulu lokukhulelwa ngaphambi kwesikhathi, okungahlosiwe. Ukukhulelwa kwangaphambi kwesikhathi nokungahlosiwe kubonwa njengento ephathelene, okuholela emiphumeleni emibi empilweni nasenhlalakahleni yamantombazane nabesifazane abasebasha (Choonara et al., 2014). Kukulo mongo lapho iRwanda yabuyekeza khona ikhodi yayo yesigwebo ngo-2018 ukuze yandise ukufinyelela ezinsizeni eziphephile zokuhushula izisu zamantombazane aneminyaka engaphansi kwe-18, kanye nabesifazane ngaphansi kwezimo ezithile. Ngokubona indima edlalwa umsakazo eRwanda njengomthombo othembekile wolwazi (Nduhura noPrieler, 2017), lolu cwaningo luhlaziye ukusakazwa kwe-36 kanye nezingxoxo ezijulile eziyisishiyagalombili nezimpimpi ezibalulekile ezivela eziteshini zomsakazo ezikhethiwe eziyisishiyagalombili ezingezona ezombuso ezihlanganisa ukuguqulwa kwezomthetho ka-2018 ukwandisa ukufinyelela kokuhushula izisu ezinganeni eRwanda. Ngethiyori kaHarbemas’ (1989) yendawo yomphakathi kanye nethiyori kaCohen’s (1972) yokwethuka kokuziphatha, ukuhlaziywa kokuqukethwe kwekhwalithi (QCA) (Schreier, 2014) kubonise ukuthi iziteshi zomsakazo ezikhethiwe zisebenza njengendawo yomphakathi ebandakanya wonke umuntu lapho izakhamizi zibambe ubuqotho futhi, kwezinye izimo, zabonisana nezingxoxo eziphathelene nokuhlinzekwa kwabancane baseRwanda. Nokho, yabonisa nokuthi amanye amalungu omphakathi anamandla kakhulu, ikakhulukazi abaholi benkolo, amadoda nabazali, bazwakalisa ukuphikisa ukuguqulwa kwezomthetho, lapho ukusakazwa komsakazo kwakuhambisana nokwesaba ukuziphatha. Imininingwane iphinde yabonisa ukuthi ukuguqulwa kwezomthetho kwaphonselwa inselelo ngenxa yezinkolelo ezivamile zezenhlalo namasiko nezenkolo eziphikisana nokukhishwa kwezisu, ezinye izakhamuzi zibheka umthetho njengokhuthaza ukuziphatha okubi, ikakhulukazi emantombazaneni. Ukuhlaziya kubonise ukuthi ukungalingani ngokobulili kanye nokubandlululwa kwamantombazane nabesifazane kudlala indima ekuphonseni inselelo ukuqaliswa komthetho ovumela ukuhushulwa kwezisu ezinganeni kanye nokufezekiswa kwe-SRHR.enCC0 1.0 Universalhttp://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Abortion--Decriminalisation.Abortion--Minors.Abortion--Media coverage.Abortion--Media representation.Moral panic--Public sphere.Thesis