Sibylle Desjardins
UNICEF DRC - Ituri conflict - Child Protection IDP
The province of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been marked for several years by inter-community conflicts that have led to a strong movement of populations and numerous cases of human rights violations. In December 2019, nearly 1,113,800 internally displaced persons were registered in this province, including 651,750 children1. The population, fleeing the attacks, took refuge in 87 IDP sites or with host families. Forty-eight sites are managed by IOM and UNHCR, and 39 sites are informal sites2, located in schools, churches and public buildings. Whether in camps or with host families, living conditions for IDPs are very precarious and often insecure.
The village of Kalo, currently abandoned, has seen its population disappear. The market place and shops are empty, houses have been burnt down. Inhabitants have fled following the regular attacks of the last two years. Gaston, the head of the locality, explains that with these incessant attacks, the inhabitants are afraid to return to their homes. On this road, many villages have been completely destroyed, and many people have died because they could not flee the exactions of the armed groups. Survivors have moved, like Gaston, to neighbouring villages or have regrouped in IDP camps.
Jean de Dieu, arrived at the camp of Linzi 1 with his wife Espérance and his 6 children. The youngest, Marie-Chantal, 7 months old, did not experience these attacks because she was born in the camp. Jean de Dieu specifies that he fled the war and not a one-off attack. He has been aware of this inter-community conflict between the Hema and the Lendu since the 2000s. The assailants, armed with rifles and machetes, force the population to flee and abandon their homes and fields. Jean de Dieu has lost his farm and his goats. Now, to provide for his family, he works with his wife and some of his children in the fields of the village where they live. They are paid by the day, between 1000 and 1500 francs. Jean de Dieu had a prosperous situation and had not envisaged this precarious life for his family.
Rosaline, their neighbour, saw her brother killed violently with a machete by militiamen. She has no news of her husband, who has mental health problems. When they had to flee, Rosaline was unable to go with him. She explains the difficulty of fleeing with small children, but especially the impossibility for elderly, sick or disabled people to react and move quickly in such a situation. She does not understand why there is so much violence in this region, why some communities attack and kill their neighbours. Since arriving at the camp two years ago, she has never returned to her home village for fear of reliving the same attacks.
Sanitary conditions in the displacement sites are very difficult. Unsanitary conditions and access to water remain major challenges. Due to the lack of infrastructure, some people use water directly from rivers and have no access to soap or latrines. Many children have open and infected wounds on their face and body. According to MSF, mortality rates among children under five years of age who arrive in the Nizi health zone in spring 2019 are three times higher than emergency thresholds. In the same year, there were 11,000 cases of measles. Love, 15, explains that her father died in the camp where they took refuge from malaria and poor medical care due to lack of money. This is not the only shock she has suffered in the last two years. As she fled on foot towards Bunia, Love saw many dead bodies on the side of the road. In the evening, Love does not like to go out of her shelter in the camp because she is afraid, especially when people are shouting. After these traumatic events and her current living conditions, she explains that she finds it difficult to sleep and be happy every day.
In the Mahagi and Djugu territories, 257,000 children are malnourished. This food insecurity sometimes exposes these children to begging. In the town of Bunia, many children, often very young, roam the streets all day long in search of money or food. Inside the camps, young children carry their small metal kettledrums all day long, hoping to receive their ration of porridge.
Chantal, who has taken refuge in the Loda camp, talks about the lack of infrastructure, food and insecurity she feels. Pointing out where she lives, she explains that her straw hut is too small for her family of five and that they don't even have a mattress to sleep. Her biggest concern is to be able to feed her children because the food distributions have not arrived for months. Despite the danger, she is forced to return to the fields to try to cultivate. There, attacks are frequent, and sometimes people don't come back. She testifies that there are cases of theft and violence in the camp, especially against women who are raped. There are currently 2560 people in the camp, including 1500 children.
In order to survive, many women and girls practice "survival sex". For a little money, they sell their bodies and often suffer sexual violence. The number of very young pregnant girls and early marriages has risen sharply. This crisis increases the vulnerability of women who are most exposed to gender-based violence. From January to October 2019, 3090 cases of GBV were recorded, including 1007 in Djugu territory. Many women testify about the attacks they suffered during attacks on their villages or on the route they took when fleeing. Like Dina, 66, who insists that women suffer much more than men in this conflict. She is still shocked to have seen and experienced such atrocious situations of sexual violence. Without pity or shame, in front of the children, armed men undress women and girls to rape them, kill some of them and sometimes kidnap their children. The humanitarian impact of this crisis on children is extremely worrying. A total of 3,857 protection incidents have been recorded, including cases of killing and maiming of children, sexual, physical and psychological violence, abduction and forced recruitment.
In May 2019, Sifa and his mother were physically abused and raped by armed men. They became pregnant as a result of this sexual assault. At the age of 17, Sifa has just given birth to her first child, a little boy named Joetham. Three days later, her mother gave birth to a baby girl, her fifth child. The family now finds itself with two newborns born as a result of rape. Sifa was heavily traumatized by her attack. She had lost her will to live, she could no longer sleep or eat, she had lost all physical and mental energy. She was therefore taken care of psychologically. Meeting other victims allowed her to share her story and regain hope. She is now focusing on her schooling, her future and that of her child. She hopes that her child will not be stigmatized later by the community because of her story. She wants to study at the university and become a nurse, so that she in turn can support people who have experienced violence.
Many children see their schooling interrupted due to the massive displacement of the population, the destruction of schools, but also the occupation of certain school structures by the security forces or the establishment of camps for informal displaced persons. An estimated 60,000 children are currently out of school in Djugu territory and more than 150 schools are no longer functioning3. For displaced children, access to school is unequal. Public schools are overcrowded and sometimes no longer accept children. Not all families can afford to pay school fees in fee-paying schools. In 2019, UNICEF was able to assist 70 schools, set up 240 temporary classrooms, distribute 587 school kits for children, 140 kits for teachers and 140 recreation kits in Djugu territory. 22,554 children were able to benefit from this support and thus continue their schooling.
Children's exposure to extreme violence and atrocities increases the need for psychosocial and mental health support. UNICEF is setting up spaces for children where they can gather, play, learn or receive psychosocial support. 19 Child Friendly Spaces are currently operational in Djugu territory and Bunia town. These spaces make it possible to identify unaccompanied children, provide psychological support and recreational activities through games, film screenings and the organization of songs and dances. These spaces also serve to sensitize children on essential practices such as handwashing, the use of mosquito nets and the prevention of epidemics such as the Ebola virus. Grâce Malosi Dhedza, focal point of the Bunia Child Friendly Spaces, talks about the fact that some activities cannot be implemented due to lack of means or staff. The influx of displaced people being continuous and the lack of means is crying out, the Children's Friends Spaces are overloaded and often lack infrastructure or supervisors to manage all the children. More than 800 unaccompanied children were registered between March and November 2019 in Djugu and Mahagi territories4.
This alarming situation has led the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to refer to a crime against humanity in this region of the DRC5. The report documents in particular numerous cases of children killed, mutilated, persecuted and kidnapped, as well as many women who have suffered sexual violence. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, since February 2018, almost 57,000 people have taken refuge in Uganda and more than 556,000 to neighbouring territories.
1.
Personnes déplacées internes et retournées - décembre 2019 : www.humanitarianresponse.info/fr/operations/democratic-re...
2. drive.google.com/file/d/1UGsepBlgPKDE0Rnqm6hV2NZ47W8J0trR...
3. www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianrespo...
4.
Rapport cluster protection RDC du 7/02/2020 : Crise Djugu Mahagi Protection Pour le HAG du 7 février 2020
5. www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/RDC/RDCRapportpublicDju...
UNICEF DRC - Ituri conflict - Child Protection IDP
The province of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been marked for several years by inter-community conflicts that have led to a strong movement of populations and numerous cases of human rights violations. In December 2019, nearly 1,113,800 internally displaced persons were registered in this province, including 651,750 children1. The population, fleeing the attacks, took refuge in 87 IDP sites or with host families. Forty-eight sites are managed by IOM and UNHCR, and 39 sites are informal sites2, located in schools, churches and public buildings. Whether in camps or with host families, living conditions for IDPs are very precarious and often insecure.
The village of Kalo, currently abandoned, has seen its population disappear. The market place and shops are empty, houses have been burnt down. Inhabitants have fled following the regular attacks of the last two years. Gaston, the head of the locality, explains that with these incessant attacks, the inhabitants are afraid to return to their homes. On this road, many villages have been completely destroyed, and many people have died because they could not flee the exactions of the armed groups. Survivors have moved, like Gaston, to neighbouring villages or have regrouped in IDP camps.
Jean de Dieu, arrived at the camp of Linzi 1 with his wife Espérance and his 6 children. The youngest, Marie-Chantal, 7 months old, did not experience these attacks because she was born in the camp. Jean de Dieu specifies that he fled the war and not a one-off attack. He has been aware of this inter-community conflict between the Hema and the Lendu since the 2000s. The assailants, armed with rifles and machetes, force the population to flee and abandon their homes and fields. Jean de Dieu has lost his farm and his goats. Now, to provide for his family, he works with his wife and some of his children in the fields of the village where they live. They are paid by the day, between 1000 and 1500 francs. Jean de Dieu had a prosperous situation and had not envisaged this precarious life for his family.
Rosaline, their neighbour, saw her brother killed violently with a machete by militiamen. She has no news of her husband, who has mental health problems. When they had to flee, Rosaline was unable to go with him. She explains the difficulty of fleeing with small children, but especially the impossibility for elderly, sick or disabled people to react and move quickly in such a situation. She does not understand why there is so much violence in this region, why some communities attack and kill their neighbours. Since arriving at the camp two years ago, she has never returned to her home village for fear of reliving the same attacks.
Sanitary conditions in the displacement sites are very difficult. Unsanitary conditions and access to water remain major challenges. Due to the lack of infrastructure, some people use water directly from rivers and have no access to soap or latrines. Many children have open and infected wounds on their face and body. According to MSF, mortality rates among children under five years of age who arrive in the Nizi health zone in spring 2019 are three times higher than emergency thresholds. In the same year, there were 11,000 cases of measles. Love, 15, explains that her father died in the camp where they took refuge from malaria and poor medical care due to lack of money. This is not the only shock she has suffered in the last two years. As she fled on foot towards Bunia, Love saw many dead bodies on the side of the road. In the evening, Love does not like to go out of her shelter in the camp because she is afraid, especially when people are shouting. After these traumatic events and her current living conditions, she explains that she finds it difficult to sleep and be happy every day.
In the Mahagi and Djugu territories, 257,000 children are malnourished. This food insecurity sometimes exposes these children to begging. In the town of Bunia, many children, often very young, roam the streets all day long in search of money or food. Inside the camps, young children carry their small metal kettledrums all day long, hoping to receive their ration of porridge.
Chantal, who has taken refuge in the Loda camp, talks about the lack of infrastructure, food and insecurity she feels. Pointing out where she lives, she explains that her straw hut is too small for her family of five and that they don't even have a mattress to sleep. Her biggest concern is to be able to feed her children because the food distributions have not arrived for months. Despite the danger, she is forced to return to the fields to try to cultivate. There, attacks are frequent, and sometimes people don't come back. She testifies that there are cases of theft and violence in the camp, especially against women who are raped. There are currently 2560 people in the camp, including 1500 children.
In order to survive, many women and girls practice "survival sex". For a little money, they sell their bodies and often suffer sexual violence. The number of very young pregnant girls and early marriages has risen sharply. This crisis increases the vulnerability of women who are most exposed to gender-based violence. From January to October 2019, 3090 cases of GBV were recorded, including 1007 in Djugu territory. Many women testify about the attacks they suffered during attacks on their villages or on the route they took when fleeing. Like Dina, 66, who insists that women suffer much more than men in this conflict. She is still shocked to have seen and experienced such atrocious situations of sexual violence. Without pity or shame, in front of the children, armed men undress women and girls to rape them, kill some of them and sometimes kidnap their children. The humanitarian impact of this crisis on children is extremely worrying. A total of 3,857 protection incidents have been recorded, including cases of killing and maiming of children, sexual, physical and psychological violence, abduction and forced recruitment.
In May 2019, Sifa and his mother were physically abused and raped by armed men. They became pregnant as a result of this sexual assault. At the age of 17, Sifa has just given birth to her first child, a little boy named Joetham. Three days later, her mother gave birth to a baby girl, her fifth child. The family now finds itself with two newborns born as a result of rape. Sifa was heavily traumatized by her attack. She had lost her will to live, she could no longer sleep or eat, she had lost all physical and mental energy. She was therefore taken care of psychologically. Meeting other victims allowed her to share her story and regain hope. She is now focusing on her schooling, her future and that of her child. She hopes that her child will not be stigmatized later by the community because of her story. She wants to study at the university and become a nurse, so that she in turn can support people who have experienced violence.
Many children see their schooling interrupted due to the massive displacement of the population, the destruction of schools, but also the occupation of certain school structures by the security forces or the establishment of camps for informal displaced persons. An estimated 60,000 children are currently out of school in Djugu territory and more than 150 schools are no longer functioning3. For displaced children, access to school is unequal. Public schools are overcrowded and sometimes no longer accept children. Not all families can afford to pay school fees in fee-paying schools. In 2019, UNICEF was able to assist 70 schools, set up 240 temporary classrooms, distribute 587 school kits for children, 140 kits for teachers and 140 recreation kits in Djugu territory. 22,554 children were able to benefit from this support and thus continue their schooling.
Children's exposure to extreme violence and atrocities increases the need for psychosocial and mental health support. UNICEF is setting up spaces for children where they can gather, play, learn or receive psychosocial support. 19 Child Friendly Spaces are currently operational in Djugu territory and Bunia town. These spaces make it possible to identify unaccompanied children, provide psychological support and recreational activities through games, film screenings and the organization of songs and dances. These spaces also serve to sensitize children on essential practices such as handwashing, the use of mosquito nets and the prevention of epidemics such as the Ebola virus. Grâce Malosi Dhedza, focal point of the Bunia Child Friendly Spaces, talks about the fact that some activities cannot be implemented due to lack of means or staff. The influx of displaced people being continuous and the lack of means is crying out, the Children's Friends Spaces are overloaded and often lack infrastructure or supervisors to manage all the children. More than 800 unaccompanied children were registered between March and November 2019 in Djugu and Mahagi territories4.
This alarming situation has led the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to refer to a crime against humanity in this region of the DRC5. The report documents in particular numerous cases of children killed, mutilated, persecuted and kidnapped, as well as many women who have suffered sexual violence. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, since February 2018, almost 57,000 people have taken refuge in Uganda and more than 556,000 to neighbouring territories.
1.
Personnes déplacées internes et retournées - décembre 2019 : www.humanitarianresponse.info/fr/operations/democratic-re...
2. drive.google.com/file/d/1UGsepBlgPKDE0Rnqm6hV2NZ47W8J0trR...
3. www.humanitarianresponse.info/sites/www.humanitarianrespo...
4.
Rapport cluster protection RDC du 7/02/2020 : Crise Djugu Mahagi Protection Pour le HAG du 7 février 2020
5. www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/RDC/RDCRapportpublicDju...