Why do children need protecting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)?
Children in the DRC are in grave danger. The conflict in the DRC has a terrible history of children being kidnapped and forced to serve with rebel forces. Before the violence escalated we believe over 3,000 children were fighting with rebel groups. Now there are many, many more. As well as abduction, children are at risk from: • Displacement. It’s estimated over 1.4 million people have been displaced by the fighting. • Separation from their families, making them more vulnerable to rebel forces. • Violence and abuse. There are reports that soldiers from both sides use mass rape as a weapon. • Witnessing traumatic events. Even if children manage to escape all of the above, they could witness horrific occurrences.
