Ceaseless Turmoil: Advocating for Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Armed forces continue to use sexual violence as a tool of war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) yet face little coordinated international resistance from Civil Society. Conflict has been ongoing for over 20 years; in 2023 alone, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) documented 733 cases of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). Although there are limited resources to allocate for aid globally, the Congo War is widely considered to be the deadliest war since World War II, a measure that includes the war’s impact on non-combatant populations. In the North Kivu province alone, a 2014 survey indicated that 22% of women were victims of CRSV, and the Human Rights Watch described the situation as “horrific levels of rape.” Millions of women, who account for an overwhelming majority of CRSV victims, are in continued danger.

Insurgency groups such as M23 and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are consistently responsible for engaging in CRSV, including a report indicating that the ADF practices a form of sexual slavery on rival communities. However, the abuse is not limited to non-state armed forces. The DRC’s armed forces and National Police are regularly accused of CRSV, the former during military operations and the latter in prisons and detention centers. Furthermore, the government is unable to stop CRSV. Armed forces have seized territory and subjugated communities, resulting in a system devoid of justice and accountability mechanisms. Vulnerable people are isolated, particularly in the East, as insurgency groups dismantle government infrastructure and capacity.

The ongoing conflict has dramatically worsened in recent months. Key cities, including Bukavu, have been seized by non-state actors. Local populations are unable to escape the violence. Traditional funding organizations for relief efforts, particularly USAID, are being dismantled. Importantly, the US was the largest donor to the DRC, giving over $1 billion in aid and bilateral assistance each year. As aid projects are dismantled and the UN’s attention is seize by other ongoing conflict, it falls upon Civil Society to continue advocating for those at risk of CRSV in the DRC.

Despite increasing violence, international and state institutions are unequipped to sufficiently address the systemic problems in the DRC. Civil Society must advocate for women at risk of CRSV and in favor of increased aid. The type of aid advocated for must center victims and potential victims of CRSV. Not only are these people outside of government-controlled territory, but even government forces have committed acts of CRSV in the conflict. With the wide array of turmoil engulfing the world, it is important that advocacy be targeted and evidence-based. Civil Society can advocate by drafting letters and emails to local representatives, emailing lawmakers and international representatives, protesting the defunding of aid programs, and sharing their voice on social media platforms using curated messages. Lawmakers must be persuaded that the scale of CRSV in the DRC warrants their attention, as well as heightened aid.