UNICEF warns of alarming rise in sexual violence against children in Eastern DRC

UNICEF is warning that sexual violence against children has reached alarming levels at the Rhoo displacement camp in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as prolonged conflict and insecurity continue to devastate civilian life.

The UN agency says three decades of fighting in the region, most recently marked by territorial gains by the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group, have created conditions in which children are increasingly vulnerable to abuse. However, UNICEF stresses the crisis is not confined to the battlefield, with reports of sexual violence also occurring outside active conflict zones.

One survivor said she was raped at the age of 13 while returning from an errand. Her family sought medical treatment, but she says the physical and emotional pain has continued.

Camp authorities say emotional turmoil now grips displaced families, as fear and trauma shape daily life. Health workers report that survivors often arrive distressed and frightened, struggling with guilt and anger alongside their experiences.

Outside the camp, insecurity remains acute. Aid workers warn that displaced people face serious risks if they travel even short distances beyond the camp, where armed militiamen are active and civilians are vulnerable to attack and sexual violence.

Justice, meanwhile, remains elusive. Legal experts say survivors often cannot identify their attackers and fear reprisals if they report abuses. In rural, conflict-affected areas like Rhoo, the justice system is largely absent, undermined by corruption, insecurity, and slow legal processes.