The United Nations has expressed strong condemnation over the alarming surge in child rape cases in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighting the dire situation that has emerged amid ongoing armed conflict in the region.
According to the UN, the first two months of 2025 alone saw thousands of children subjected to sexual violence, with eastern DRC enduring heightened instability due to the offensive by the M23 rebel group.
The militia, reportedly supported by Rwanda, a claim Kigali denies, has been advancing, aggravating an already fragile humanitarian situation.
“The rate of sexual violence against children has never been higher,” said James Elder, spokesperson for the United Nations Children’s Fund, during a press briefing in Geneva.
Speaking from Goma, Elder called for immediate intervention in the face of the escalating crisis.
“Early reports show that children make up between 35 to 45 percent of the nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported… in just January and February of this year,” he stated.
“In short, based on initial data, … during the most intense phase of this year’s conflict in eastern DRC, a child was raped every half an hour.”
Years of violence have devastated the region, but the recent spike in attacks has left children even more vulnerable. Elder emphasized the widespread and systematic nature of the crimes, stating, “We are not talking about isolated incidents,” and went on to describe the tragic accounts of “survivors as young as toddlers.”
“It is a weapon of war and a deliberate tactic of terror. And it destroys families and communities,” he added.
He also warned that the reported figures may not reflect the full extent of the crisis. “The horrifying numbers could just be the tip of the iceberg, hidden beneath layers of fear, stigma, and insecurity,” Elder said.
“This should shake us to our core. Certainly it should compel urgent and collective action,” he urged.
Calling for immediate and sustained response, Elder pressed for “additional prevention efforts, survivor-centred services, and safe, accessible ways for survivors to report abuse without fear.”
“Survivors must see the world stand with them, not turn away. And perpetrators must face justice,” he noted.
