DR Congo: Thousands Of Children At Risk From Violence, Abuse, And Displacement As Armed Group Moves On Goma, Warns World Vision
- International aid agency suspends programmes in and around Goma
- 77 World Vision staff in hibernation
- Tens of thousands who rely on World Vision aid now at increased risk
Monday, 27th January - International aid agency, World Vision is deeply concerned that tens of thousands of people living in the eastern DR Congo city of Goma, or in nearby camps, now face the risk of death, injury and mass displacement as armed group M23 pushes to seize the city.
Aid operations to support people living in Goma – population two million – and in the long-term displacement camps in and around the city have now been suspended by World Vision due to armed group and Congolese Army operations that have shuttered roads and supply lines.
An estimated 400,000 people have fled the violence in eastern DR Congo this year alone, with many pouring into Goma, which serves as a humanitarian base for the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. Goma sits on the border with Rwanda and is now effectively cut off from the rest of the DR Congo by the advance. The whole region has been in turmoil in recent weeks with displacement camps being shelled and hundreds killed in the conflict. Many of them have been children.
But over the weekend the situation worsened with various parts of Goma coming under the control of M23, putting thousands of people on the move and forcing humanitarian agencies to evacuate and hibernate staff. Already dire humanitarian conditions are worsening rapidly, and access to vulnerable populations inside and outside the city are severely limited by insecurity, roadblocks and the presence of violent armed actors.
World Vision has suspended life-saving operations that include providing food and cash aid on behalf of the World Food Programme to tens of thousands of displaced children and their families; supporting at-risk young people with programmes that protect them from abuse, neglect and violence; providing pots, pans, kitchen equipment and personal hygiene items to people who have nothing, and supporting adolescents by teaching them basic skills, like sewing, that they can use to earn an income.
David Munkley, World Vision’s head of operations for eastern DR Congo said: “The situation is terrible. There are not only thousands of people caught in the middle or fleeing this violent conflict but now we can’t reach the tens of thousands of people who were previously relying on us for food and other vital support. Key roads surrounding Goma are blocked, and the city's airport can no longer be used for evacuation and humanitarian efforts. Power and water have reportedly been cut to many areas of the city.
“My biggest fear is that we are going to see a massive escalation of children and their families on the move and be unable to easily assist. On top of this past spikes in violence have put children at risk of either being recruited into the armed groups or led to increases in girls and women experiencing sexual violence.”
“The international community needs to actively get involved immediately to prevent this conflict from potentially significantly worsening. The armed actors on the ground must also allow humanitarians safe access so we can get back to helping people.”
“I currently have 77 staff in hibernation because it’s simply too dangerous for them to be working when I want them to be out and about supporting people in dire need.”
World Vision DRC National Director, Aline Napon, said: “Displaced women, children and men are not only fearful and in despair but feel powerless. They are now on the run from the camps or homes where they were living, not knowing where they are going to stay or what they are going to eat. Many are children.”
DR Congo has population of 113 million with an estimated 27 million in need of humanitarian assistance. Six million people are displaced within the country. The two eastern provinces of North and South Kivu are already home to 4.6 million displaced people.
ENDS.
Notes to editor
SPOKESPEOPLE AVAILABLE:
National Director: Aline Napon -Aline_Napon@wvi.org
East Zone Director: David Munkley – David_Munkley@wvi.org
SHR Director: Patrick Saah – Patrick_Saah@wvi.org
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.
For more information, please visit www.wvi.org or follow us on Twitter @WorldVision
Sources:
https://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/2024-11/The DRC Situation Overview.pdf