Amid Shrinking Aid, Women Are First Victims of Humanitarian Crisis in DR Congo
Violence linked to conflicts results in massive displacements, exposing women to added risks, notably sexual aggression, precarious sanitary situations and exclusion from essential services.
The humanitarian situation is taking a heavy toll on women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) amid the armed violence unsettling the country.
Bruno Lemarquis, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in the DR Congo, has raised concerns over unmet needs regarding protection and care for survivors of violence, especially women. Lemarquis expressed his concern during an online campaign for aid funding tagged “Every Dollar Counts.”
“It is a crisis of protection, the women and children being the first victims,” the humanitarian coordinator said.
Violence linked to conflicts results in massive displacements, exposing women to added risks, notably sexual aggression, precarious sanitary situations and exclusion from essential services. On the ground, despite considerable efforts by humanitarian teams, resources remain insufficient. By mid-July this year, only 13 per cent of the funds necessary for the year had been raised. This crisis of financing has direct effects. In certain zones, the women who are victims of sexual violence no longer receive medical treatment or psycho-social support, which is indispensable to their well-being.
During a recent mission in North Kivu and South Kivu, Lemarquis visited a health centre supported by Humanitarian Funds. While childbirth is free of charge, the available resources are significantly below what is needed. There is a lack of personnel, equipment, and medicine, which compromises the quality of maternal care.
Women are also affected by the insufficiency of water, hygiene and sanitation, which aggravates their vulnerability in the face of epidemics such as cholera. Only 10 per cent of the needs in these sectors are daily covered.
“Thanks to humanitarian teams on the ground, these modest contributions are being transformed into concrete actions: hygiene kits to prevent diseases, protection for the survivors of violence,” Lemarquis said, adding that the “Each Dollar Counts” campaign aims to mobilise the necessary resources to protect women in the most fragile contexts and guarantee minimum access to vital services.
The ongoing armed violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is severely impacting women, who are primarily victims of sexual assault and are excluded from essential services due to massive displacements. Despite the efforts of humanitarian teams, resource shortages mean that essential medical and psychological support is unavailable to many victims, with only 13% of the necessary funding raised by mid-2023. Bruno Lemarquis, the UN humanitarian coordinator, highlights the crisis's effect on women and children, calling for enhanced funding through the "Every Dollar Counts" campaign to ensure minimum access to critical services such as healthcare, hygiene, and protection for those most vulnerable.
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