Democratic Republic of the Congo: Humanitarian Highlights #9 (1 - 30 September 2023)

FOOD SECURITY

MORE THAN 25 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE DRC ARE IN ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY

The September 29 Integrated Food Security Analysis (IPC) report indicates that more than 25 million people are in the DRC crisis or food emergency phase. The country remains one of the world's most significant food crises. The causes include the intensification of conflict in eastern DRC and the lack of investment in rural development.

The conflict in eastern DRC has disrupted vital agricultural production and the growth of essential infrastructure. This crisis is fueled by changing armed group dynamics, exacerbated by deep-rooted geopolitical tensions. As a result, more than 5.6 million people are now displaced in the three eastern provinces of the DRC (Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu).

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) representative in the DRC, the only way to break the cycle and reverse these trends is to help rural families increase their resilience and productivity. While those most in need of humanitarian assistance rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, only 4.1 per cent of humanitarian funds for the food sectors support agricultural livelihoods. In addition to the immediate imperative to support lifesaving initiatives, there is an urgent need to invest in solutions to reverse trends in food insecurity sustainably.

EDUCATION

UNICEF EDUCATION SUPPORT CAMPAIGN TARGETS 34 MILLION DISPLACED CHILDREN IN THE DRC

UNICEF, education authorities and its partners launched a campaign on September 4 to mobilize parents and communities to send all children, girls and boys, to school and ensure their retention throughout the year.

According to UNICEF, this back-to-school support campaign targets nearly 27 million children already in school and around 7 million children not in school. UNICEF calls for the commitment of all sectors and partners to intensify efforts at all levels and in all areas to better promote access to education for all children, including in areas affected by violence.

VIOLENCE

HIGH RECORD OF VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN REPORTED IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2023 IN THE DRC

According to a UNICEF press release dated September 29, the latest monitoring data on the protection of children in situations of conflict indicates that there has been more than a 40 per cent increase in the number of grave violations verified against children during the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022. According to the United Nations Secretary General's report on children and armed conflict, more than 2,400 children were victims of 3,300 grave violations in 2022.

During the first half of 2023, the number of children recruited into armed groups increased by 45 per cent. In 2022, more than 1,500 children were recorded as having been recruited and used by armed groups. Over the past two years, the DRC has recorded the highest number of verified sexual violence against children by armed forces and armed groups. However, the number of reported child killings and mutilations in 2023 increased by 32 per cent over the same period, compared to more than 600 cases last year. Additionally, in 2022, more than 70 children were abducted, making this the highest number of child abduction cases recorded by the United Nations in the DRC.

The child protection sector remains seriously underfunded, with only 11 per cent of funds received. UNICEF calls for a large-scale emergency response to child protection needs in conflict-affected provinces.

MONGALA

LANDSLIDE CAUSES 17 DEATHS IN LISALA LOCALITY

National authorities reported that torrential rainfalls caused a landslide that killed 17 people on the night of September 16 to 17 in Lisala. According to local sources, seven people survived. Houses were washed away, leaving several people homeless.

Through the Ministry of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Actions, a government mission visited the site to provide initial support to the victims and ensure the burial of those who lost their lives.