Urgent call to protect children without parental care amid escalating violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Photo by Tony Karumba.
As the conflict intensifies in Goma, in eastern DRC, thousands of children face displacement, separation from their families, and an increased risk of violence and exploitation. In the last three months, around 658,000 people have been displaced in the provinces of North and South Kivu, including at least 282,000 children, according to UNICEF.
The UN refugee agency estimates that hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by the intense fighting, with little to no access to shelter, food, or medical care. Heavy artillery strikes in densely populated areas have led to more than 600 casualties, many of them women and children, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)..
Children without parental care or who have been separated from their families amid the chaos are in even greater danger. They risk abduction, sexual violence and recruitment by armed groups, which UNICEF says is on the rise. The trauma of war threatens their wellbeing, and access to essential services—including food, healthcare, education, and psychological support—has been severely disrupted.
We urgently call on all parties of the conflict to prioritize and protect the lives of children, immediately cease hostilities and adhere to international human rights and humanitarian law. The protection of children and civilians must be prioritized in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. All children should be protected from any and all six grave violations of war against children - killing and maiming, recruitment or use of children as soldiers, sexual violence, abduction, attacks against schools or hospitals and denial of humanitarian access for children.
We call on the international community to take immediate action to:
Intensify diplomatic efforts to end the violence and work toward lasting peace.
Establish safe humanitarian corridors to deliver life-saving aid.
- Strengthen child protection measures, ensuring that children—especially those without parental care—receive the support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.
SOS Children’s Villages remains committed to supporting children and families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We have been active in DRC since 1990, and we currently support 1,420 children and more than 400 families in Bukavu, Uvira and Kinshasa.
The world cannot turn away. Children must be at the center of all efforts to bring long-term peace and stability to the DRC. Their rights, safety, and future must be protected. Now is the time to act.