b!rt the practice had not yet percolated through local traditions, and sterilisation was neither an issue of disaussion nor widely used. It aould be carried out in a hospital on request. No speoial programmes were available to encourage women to take up the profession of physician. As abortion was prohibited by law and subject to a penalty, he said that it was difficult to provide estimates on its incidence. No data could be provided on the incidence of HIV infection/AIDS: on the number of women who died in ahildbirthr on the percentage of women using contraceptives; and on the infant mortality rates for girls and boys. The average number of births per woman was between six and seven8 however, because many children were delivered at home, it was difficult to provide accurate data. He said that the high frequency of pregnancies was considered an obstaole to the advancement of Female circumcision was not practised in Rwanda, women. 242, On article 12. concerning whether abortion was prohibited in all circumstances and how many cases of abortion had come before the courts, he said that abortion was carried out in hospitals only in the aase of mediaal indication and in the case of rape. He said that as the Catholic religion, which forbade abortion, was firmly rooted in Rwanda, it was difficult to -discuss the issue in the country and to attempt to legal&e abortion. No details on the nature of Sanctions could be given. Members asked whether family planning was available to all women. As there were cases of AIDE in Rwanda, the representative said that a training centre for dealing with the problem had been set up and information campaigns had been carried out on preventive measures. No statistics were available on the incidence of HIV infection/AIDS. 243. Turning to article 13, he said that women could obtain loans through the association called DUTERIMBERE whenever needed. Any woman, irrespective of her family status, was entitled to have access to loans. DUTERIMBERE acted as guarantorr however, no data on the frequency or the purposes of such loans were available. 244. On article 14, the representative said that improved access to safe drinking-water and to health facilities was part of a long-term plan. Most women and men were involved in the cooperative movement and about 90 per cent of the female population were members of cooperatives. Educated women were also involved in agricultural development programmes, although to a lesser degree than men. Those programmes put no special emphasis on the needs of women. 245. As regards article 15, there was no de jura discrimination against women, except for the provision in the penal code that dealt with the issue of adultery. A woman who committed adultery was punished more severely than a man because she might bring a child into the family that did not belong to the The laws under which, in the case of adultery, women were pennlieed husband. more severely than men were still in force, but an amendment was currently being discussed. A woman coufd obtain a passport and travel without her husband’s permission, provided she had reached the age.of majority. 246. Under article 16, he said that under the new Family Code, for entering into marriage was 21 years for women and 25 years because it was thought that women matured more quickly. -46- the minimum for men, age