Record levels of gender-based violence, displacement, and hunger are escalating due to conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Urgent international action is needed to prevent the country from falling into catastrophe.
Millions of civilians in the DRC have already been exhausted and traumatized by decades of conflict and humanitarian emergencies. Over 700,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in recent months, bringing the total number of displaced individuals to a high of 7.2 million.
Gender-based violence has reached unprecedented levels, with cases surging between 2022 and 2023. Stigma and fear prevent many survivors from coming forward. Children are also at risk of abduction, killing, maiming, and recruitment by armed groups.
In crowded displacement camps, lack of protection and security forces many to exchange sex for survival and support. When venturing outside for necessities like firewood, water, or work, individuals are exposed to high levels of sexual violence.
More than 25 million people in the DRC, a quarter of the population, continue to face food insecurity at crisis or emergency levels. Diseases like cholera and measles are spreading rapidly, while climate extremes worsened by El Niño pose additional threats.
Resolving the humanitarian crisis in the DRC requires addressing root causes like conflict, resource exploitation, illicit financial flows, gender inequality, and development deficits.
Perpetrators of human rights violations must be held accountable. Civilians must be protected under international humanitarian law.
Ensuring swift and unimpeded aid delivery to those in need is crucial. Yet, the current Humanitarian Response Plan is significantly underfunded, with only 16% of the $2.6 billion needed being received. This lack of resources forces humanitarian organizations to reduce assistance, with women and girls bearing the brunt.
We must increase support for the Congolese people, especially women and girls impacted by the conflict, as they rebuild their lives and return home. The international community must mobilize additional resources for the humanitarian response and demonstrate the political will to end violence.
Signatories:
Mr. Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Ms. Sofia Sprechmann Sineiro, Secretary General, CARE International
Dr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Ms. Nimo Hassan, Chair, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
Mr. Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA)
Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM)
Mr. Tom Hart, President and Chief Executive Officer, InterAction
Ms. Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Corps
Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Ms. Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children
Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (SR on HR of IDPs)
Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Mr. Michal Mlynár, Executive Director a.i., United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)
Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Ms. Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director,** UN Women**
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO)
Mr. Andrew Morley, President and the Chief Executive Officer, World Vision International
Ms. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).