Children in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) endure grave violations under siege, United Nations (UN) Committee warns

Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing an unprecedented catastrophe, enduring grave violations, including summary executions, sexual violence, recruitment and abduction of children by parties to the conflict, the UN Child Rights Committee warned today.

The Committee expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in more villages in North and South Kivu, where armed groups are increasingly targeting displaced children and those in street situations. Recent reports indicate a surge in child recruitment, abductions, sexual violence, and killings as conflict spreads to these new areas.

While noting that verifying information is a huge challenge due to the present worsening security situation, the Committee was informed by a reliable source that they had found 45 of the 120 children in street situations who were cared for in a day transit centre in Goma to have been killed; 30 girls from the day centre were found in a border neighbourhood after they had managed to hide in the Rwandan border town of Gisenyi and are now living on the streets.

Alarmingly, sexual violence has become the daily life of some children in these war-torn areas. “Increasing number of children, the vast majority of whom are girls, are being subjected to sexual violence,” the Committee said.

The Committee further stated that civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, continues to be targeted. “The destruction of healthcare facilities has severely weakened the already overwhelmed medical system, leaving the few operational hospitals struggling to meet the urgent needs of the population, leaving many children without access to emergency medical care.”

According to UNICEF’s projection, 26.4 million people in the DRC need urgent humanitarian aid, including 15.4 million children. Ongoing offensives in Goma and North Kivu have heightened the risk of grave violations. More than 6.7 million people, 40% of them children, have been displaced across conflict-affected provinces. Many children remain out of school, increasing their vulnerability to recruitment and other violations.

The Committee called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to grave violations.

It also underscored the need to investigate grave violations against children and hold perpetrators accountable.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).