Help UNICEF Reach Children at Risk in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently grappling with one of its worst floods in over 60 years, compounded by recurrent health outbreaks, climate-related disasters, and armed conflict and internal displacement that continues to severely impact children. The DRC is now home to one of the highest numbers of UN-verified grave violations globally, and numbers of internally displaced people (IDPs). The escalation of the current conflict, including violence towards civilians, has resulted in significant population movements, a deteriorating humanitarian situation, and a worsening protection situation for children and women.

In eastern DRC, 4.9 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, including 2.8 million children. In the three eastern provinces, 1.5 million people have been newly displaced this year. Eastern DRC is also grappling with cholera and measles outbreaks. In the year to date, there have been more than 20,000 cases of cholera in North Kivu and South Kivu – where 83 per cent of cases are concentrated

Despite security challenges, UNICEF continues to leverage its extensive presence in the DRC, as well as engagement with government, NGO, civil society partners and other UN agencies, to scale up the humanitarian response and address the needs of vulnerable children, women, and families. Since June 2023, UNICEF has reached nearly 1.3 million people across crisis-affected areas, despite significant funding gaps.

UNICEF has prioritized life-saving interventions, and is integrating protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, gender considerations, and prevention and response to gender-based violence across all interventions. Since December 2023, to address the severe flooding affecting over 2.1 million people, UNICEF has activated 31 rapid response teams; provided emergency medical supplies, including basic kits and surgical equipment, to directly assist 30,000 individuals; and worked with partners to provide water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) support, child protection support, and psychosocial services to children and families across the DRC.

With your support, UNICEF can continue this life-saving work throughout 2024.