Shoko Arakaki, director of humanitarian affairs at the United Nations reproductive health agency (UNFPA), reported at the United Nations Office in Geneva that essential services have been severely disrupted, with incidents of conflict-related rape and sexual violence increasing by a third from last year.
She stated that “Congolese women and girls endure enormous suffering, but never lose hope,” noting that even before the latest conflict escalation, three women died every hour from pregnancy and childbirth complications in the country.
During her visit to Kinshasa and Goma, Ms. Arakaki observed firsthand the harsh realities faced by women and girls, meeting midwives working under difficult conditions and listening to mothers who had lost everything.
Women and girls are victims of rape, exploitation, and abuse in camps, during transit, and within their communities, she said.
The DRC faces one of the world’s most neglected humanitarian crises, with alarming levels of gender-based violence. Reports indicate widespread sexual exploitation and abuse, especially in overcrowded IDP camps with limited protection. The crisis is worsened by chronic hunger and lack of livelihoods for displaced and host communities.
The demand for emergency assistance is rising sharply across the DRC, with 27 million people expected to need humanitarian aid in 2025. Without resolving the ongoing conflict in the eastern provinces, the humanitarian and displacement situation is anticipated to worsen.
Ms. Arakaki met a 14-year-old girl recovering from multiple rapes at a UNFPA-supported hospital, who dreams of returning to school.
UNFPA provides essential health services to women and girls in the DRC, reaching 1.4 million people. The agency urgently calls for increased funding to provide lifesaving reproductive care, including medical treatment and psychosocial support for survivors of gender-based violence.
The agency also urged conflict parties to respect legal obligations to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian aid.
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