Doctors Without Borders has reported treating over 25,000 victims of sexual violence in Congo in 2023, marking a significant increase and the highest level the organization has encountered in the country. The majority of cases were concentrated in displacement camps near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern Congo.
Christopher Mambula, the group’s program manager in Congo, stated that two-thirds of the victims reported being assaulted at gunpoint. The crisis is particularly severe in eastern Congo, where more than 120 armed groups compete for power, land, and mineral resources, often committing human rights violations including mass killings and rapes.
The violence has led to the displacement of approximately 6 million people in the region. Congo has accused neighboring Rwanda of involvement in the conflict, including supporting the M23 rebel group, a claim Rwanda denies.
Human Rights Watch recently reported that both Rwandan and Congolese forces have committed atrocities against displacement camp residents. Doctors Without Borders attributes the surge in sexual violence to the presence of armed men in and around displacement sites, as well as inadequate humanitarian response and poor living conditions.
The NGO also reported high numbers of sexual assaults in the first five months of 2024, with over 17,000 victims treated in North Kivu province alone between January and May.