Tens of thousands of families displaced by fighting in DR Congo’s South Kivu as UNICEF scales up humanitarian response
Children face killings, recruitment by armed groups, and sexual violence as conflict cripples schools, health services, and access to clean water
BUKAVU, DR Congo, 14 March 2025 – The resurgence of conflict in the province of South Kivu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has forced more than 850,000 people—nearly half of them children—to flee their homes. Many are living in precarious conditions, taking shelter in schools, churches, or in the open, with limited access to clean water and sanitation, healthcare, and education.
The ongoing violence in the province has led to a sharp rise in grave violations against children. Verified cases have surged since January 2025, marking an approximately 150 per cent increase compared to December 2024. These violations include sexual violence, killings, maiming, and the recruitment and use of children by armed groups.
UNICEF’s Representative in the DRC visited the eastern region earlier in March to witness firsthand the impact of the crisis in Bukavu and to assess UNICEF’s intensified response.
“I met unaccompanied children seeking refuge at the University Clinics—children who have lost everything. Their distress is immense, and every day without a stronger humanitarian response worsens their suffering,” warns Jean François Basse, UNICEF’s Acting Representative in the DRC. “We are facing an unprecedented protection crisis. Children are being targeted. They are being killed, recruited, torn from their families, and exposed to horrific sexual and physical violence.”
Fighting has also significantly limited humanitarian operations. The closure of Kavumu airport, located 25 kilometres north of Bukavu—a vital entry point for the delivery of essential supplies—and the closure of banks have disrupted field operations and delayed payments and distributions.
The health sector is overwhelmed, with overcrowded hospitals and shortages of medicine and equipment. More than 15 health facilities have been partially destroyed, while outbreaks of cholera, measles, and mpox are spreading. Since January 2025, 377 cholera cases have been reported, with a concerning spike of 146 new infections in late February, particularly affecting displacement sites and health zones in Minova and Uvira.
Education has also been impacted, with the closure of more than 1,000 schools in the province, disrupting the education of over 300,000 students. In Bukavu alone, 19 schools have turned into makeshift shelters for displaced families, highlighting the urgent need for alternative solutions to support both education and humanitarian needs.
In response to this critical situation, UNICEF and its partners are scaling up life-saving support for children and families. Efforts to reunite unaccompanied children with their families are underway, with 40 per cent already supported. Four operational “listening points” now provide psychosocial support and referrals to services to affected children and families.
Access to clean water and sanitation is also improving, with three purification stations supplying 180,000 litres of clean water daily. Meanwhile, UNICEF mobile teams are working in cholera-affected areas on disinfection, awareness-raising, and medical referrals.
UNICEF and its partners are also working to reopen schools, advocate for demining, and assess damaged facilities for rapid rehabilitation. Finally, UNICEF is reinforcing support for health centers to tackle mpox and cholera outbreaks, particularly through medical treatment, nutritional care, and mental health support.
“We call on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities, protect children, respect international humanitarian law, and guarantee rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access,” said Basse.
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