4 ways UNICEF is supporting children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the world's most complex crises – and one of its most forgotten. An upsurge in armed conflict and intercommunal clashes has resulted in a spike in grave violations against children, and is driving record-levels of gender-based violence, hunger, leaving families ever more vulnerable.

Conditions in camps for those who have been displaced are often dire, cramped, and fraught with danger. But the number of internally displaced families could further spiral as armed groups take control of ever more territory and as violence spreads, further straining resources for UNICEF and partners.

With humanitarian funding dwindling, UNICEF-led humanitarian interventions are focused on providing food, safe water, adequate sanitation, shelter, basic health care, education, and protective services for the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. UNICEF's support includes:

Providing safe spaces for children
Children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are being killed, maimed, subject to sexual violence, and recruited by parties to the conflict, with verified grave violations reaching new highs. Their rights to a safe childhood are being shattered.
UNICEF remains committed to ensuring that every child's right to protection is upheld. Despite the increasingly volatile and insecure situation in the DRC, UNICEF has continued to deliver child protection services by collaborating with government counterparts and local actors. UNICEF and partners have reached tens of thousands of people in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri Provinces with mental health and psychosocial support. UNICEF has also provided child protection services to thousands of children formerly associated with armed groups and armed forces, unaccompanied and separated minors, and survivors of sexual violence.
Ensuring access to life-saving vaccines
Vaccines are among the greatest advances in global health and development. But conflict and displacement can cut many children off from life-saving health services, including immunizations. In 2023, the DRC continued to face multiple disease outbreaks, underscoring the need to continue strengthening routine immunization in the country.
In 2023, primary health care services at UNICEF-supported health centres in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika, and Mai Ndombe provinces reached more than 375,000 children under the age of five. Services provided included routine and emergency immunization to ensure comprehensive vaccination coverage for children and to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

Helping children resume their education
In eastern DRC, violence by parties to the conflict means hundreds of thousands of children who should be safely learning in classrooms have instead been displaced by violence, often living in desperate conditions in camps and unable to attend school. Many schools have been attacked; others are being used by parties to the conflict as shelters or by those who have been displaced by the violence. 
UNICEF and partners support schools and have set up emergency temporary learning spaces in camps for displaced people to help children resume their education. UNICEF is also distributing school supplies, providing remedial classes and psychosocial support, and supporting play-based and peacebuilding activities.
Source
https://www.unicef.org/stories/4-ways-unicef-supporting-children-democratic-republic-congo



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