The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached alarming levels, with children facing extreme violence, forced recruitment, abduction, and sexual violence amid escalating conflict in the eastern regions, as the UN Child Rights Committee has warned in a recent report.
Ongoing hostilities in North and South Kivu have intensified targeting of children. The UN Child Rights Committee’s report indicates that 45 out of 120 children in a transit center in Goma were brutally killed, while 30 girls fled to Gisenyi, Rwanda, where they now struggle to survive on the streets. These attacks reflect an alarming pattern of child endangerment in the DRC.
Armed groups have not only subjected children to horrific abuses but have also destroyed schools and hospitals, leaving communities without access to education and medical care. Overburdened hospitals struggle to meet the urgent healthcare needs of victims, compounding the crisis.
According to UNICEF, 26.4 million people, including 15.4 million children, require urgent assistance. As society collapses around them, out of school children face heightened risks of recruitment by armed groups, forced labor, and exploitation.
UN Calls for Immediate Action
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has issued an urgent appeal for:
- An immediate ceasefire to halt ongoing violations against children.
- Investigations into reported abuses and prosecution of perpetrators.
- Strengthening protections for displaced and vulnerable children.
However, worsening security conditions make verification of abuses and accountability efforts increasingly difficult. The international community is urged to intensify humanitarian assistance, enhance monitoring mechanisms, and push for political resolutions to end the cycle of violence.
Violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights
These atrocities represent grave violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). Specifically:
- Right to Life (Article 4, ACHPR; Article 5, ACRWC): The execution of children directly contravenes their fundamental right to life.
- Freedom from Torture and Degrading Treatment (Article 5, ACHPR): Sexual violence against children constitutes a clear violation of this protection.
- Right to Education (Article 11, ACRWC): The destruction of schools denies children their right to education, critical for their development and future opportunities.
The Need for Immediate and Sustained Global Response
The situation in the DRC demands urgent intervention. African Union (AU) member states and the international community must uphold the principles of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights by increasing pressure on perpetrators, supporting humanitarian relief efforts, and ensuring justice for victims. Without decisive action, millions of children in the DRC will continue to suffer unimaginable abuses.
