1.29 million Congolese have become newly displaced inside their country in 2022 alone, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons (IDP) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to currently 5.53 million - out of whom 3.25 million are children -- according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In addition, around 900,000 Congolese have sought refuge outside the DRC, while the country itself hosts over half a million refugees from neighbouring countries.
Conflict and violence are responsible for over 96 percent of the displacement in the DRC, followed by natural disasters (3.4%) and epidemics (0.3%). The most conflict-affected provinces are therefore also those with the highest displacement: Ituri, North and South Kivu and Tanganyika.
Displaced persons are among the most vulnerable. Most rely on support to cover their basic humanitarian needs, especially with regard to protection, food, health, water, sanitation, hygiene and education.
However, the Humanitarian Response Plan for the DRC for 2022, which requires USD 1.88 billion, is currently only one third funded (33.1%). It targets the 8.8 million most vulnerable people -- out of 27 million Congolese identified as being in need.