UN officials have issued an urgent warning about escalating conflict-related sexual violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where recent armed group offensives have worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis.
“In the context of this unprecedented security and humanitarian crisis, the conditions of women and children continue to deteriorate. Their lives are hanging on the countless days awaiting stronger actions by the international community,” said a joint statement from four senior UN representatives.
The statement comes from Virginia Gamba, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict; Pramila Patten, Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict; Andrew Saberton, UNFPA Deputy Executive Director; and Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees for Protection.
According to the officials, heightened attacks by non-state armed groups in South and North Kivu provinces since early 2025 have “dramatically increased conflict-related sexual violence.” The violence has destroyed IDP sites and forced civilians into areas without adequate protection.
“Sexual violence is widespread and systematically used by parties to the conflict, including against women and children, as a tactic of war to terrorize and punish the civilian populations,” the UN officials warned, noting that incidents remain underreported due to “fear of stigma, risks of retaliation, and limited humanitarian services and support.”
The crisis has generated a record 7.8 million internally displaced persons within the DRC, while neighboring countries host an additional 1.1 million Congolese refugees. More than half of these refugees are children, many of whom have likely experienced severe violence.
Survivors face severely limited access to essential services, with ongoing hostilities further hampering aid delivery through “direct attacks on hospitals and shortages of medical supplies such as life-saving Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) kits.”
The officials called on all parties to implement Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025) and take urgent steps to end conflict-related sexual violence while ensuring protection for survivors. They specifically urged parties to “guarantee safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need, particularly children and survivors of sexual violence.”
“We further call for urgent action to strengthen accountability, implement gender-sensitive and child-centered responses, reestablish vital aid and support to the humanitarian plan to help survivors of conflict-related sexual violence regain their health and dignity,” the statement concluded.
