The United Nations Children’s Fund said Friday that violence against children has become a defining feature of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where thousands of children have reportedly been subjected to sexual violence in the first two months of the year.
According to UNICEF spokesperson James Elder, one child is raped every 30 minutes in the conflict-ridden region, where fighting has intensified since January due to a renewed offensive by the M23 rebel group.
Elder said rape is being used as a weapon of war, with children suffering the most severe consequences. Reports from humanitarian partners in the field indicate that children make up between 35% and 45% of the approximately 10,000 rape cases reported in January and February.
UNICEF warned that a critical lack of funding is hampering efforts to provide urgent medical and psychological support to survivors. Elder described a recent visit to a hospital where 127 girls — all survivors of sexual violence — were unable to access proper medical protection or care.
Looking ahead, the agency said the funding gap could have devastating consequences by 2026. An estimated 100,000 children may miss measles vaccinations, nearly 2 million could go untested for malnutrition, and close to 500,000 people may be left without sufficient access to clean drinking water.
