A recent report by Save the Children International, titled ‘Stop the war on children,’ has identified the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the country where children face the most severe impact of conflicts. Mali and Myanmar follow as the second and third most affected, respectively.
The report highlights the challenging conditions faced by children in the DRC, including violent conflict, disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and widespread poverty. In 2022 alone, alarming statistics reveal that 1,697 children were recruited and used by armed forces, 731 were killed or maimed, and 1,309 were abducted.
Within the DRC, the report notes 138 attacks on schools and hospitals, 12 incidents of denial of humanitarian aid, 484 verified cases of sexual violence against children, and a staggering 5,543 battle deaths (children and adults). Moreover, 11,089,497 children were found to be living in conflict-affected areas, constituting 22% of the child population.
The severity of the crisis significantly hinders children’s access to education, with 825 schools closed in 2022, affecting nearly 325,000 children. Armed groups were responsible for 64.71% of these closures through attacks on schools and hospitals, totaling 121 incidents.
The intensification of violence in the DRC has led to a surge in cases of murder, maiming, and abduction of children. The report underscores the country’s persistent high rates of kidnapped children, many of whom are forcibly recruited into armed groups. Instances of rape and other forms of sexual violence against children are also on the rise.
Modeste Mutinga Mutushayi, DRC’s social affairs minister, expressed commitment to improving social actions to enhance protection, education, care, and health services for over a million children directly affected by armed conflict.
Save the Children identified Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen as other countries significantly affected by conflicts, impacting the well-being of children.
