The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appealed for urgent funding to provide an immediate response to the increasing number of sexual violence cases against children and women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Development Diaries reports that gender-based violence (GBV) against girls and women in North Kivu province increased by 37 percent during the first three months of 2023.

Most of the survivors of GBV reported being attacked by armed men and displaced men in and around camps for displaced persons which saw more than 38,000 cases reported in all of 2022 in North Kivu alone.

‘Deeply vulnerable children and women seeking refuge at camps are instead finding themselves facing more abuse and pain’, said UNICEF DRC representative, Grant Leaity.

‘The surge in sexual violence against children is horrifying, with reports of some as young as three years old having been sexually exploited. This wake-up call should shock, sicken, and jolt us all into action’.

Since the beginning of March 2022, over 1.16 million people have been displaced by clashes between parties to the conflict in North Kivu.

UNICEF said in the statement that it was aware of the very high levels of sexual exploitation of children at more than 1,000 sites in and around displacement camps.

In line with these challenges, the UN agency calls on the international community to significantly scale up services in and around displacement camps to prevent and respond to sexual violence.

Better access to water and sanitation facilities and increased provision of health and education services and assistance are needed to mitigate the worrying trend of sexual violence in the country.

Photo source: Julien Harneis