Democratic Congo

New figures show at least 1,360 children were released from armed groups in the eastern province of Ituri in 2025. However, 13,000 children in the province remained in armed groups, meaning only about one in 10 children gained freedom last year.

The thousands of displaced children and their families are now seeking refuge within other parts of DRC as well as across the border in Burundi and Rwanda.

The number of children facing severe hunger in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is expected to surge by at least 20% by the start of 2026.

There has been a four-fold rise this year in the number of children and women treated for sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fighting has escalated.

Justin* is a humanitarian worker with Save the Children, focusing on surveillance and health promotion in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most dangerous countries for aid workers. Justin works in Goma, a city of about two million people which experienced a major escalation in conflict earlier this year, which further fuelled an already dire humanitarian crisis. For World Humanitarian Day 2025, Justin is sharing his story of fighting for survival and his efforts to end suffering as an aid worker in the DRC.

The number of children reporting sexual assault after fleeing into Burundi to escape violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has more than tripled this year with aid cuts dramatically reducing the support available, said Save the Children.

The number of children going hungry in war-torn eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surged 50% due to an escalation in violence this year, with 2.3 million more children now going without enough food [1], according to Save the Children.

Children in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya will benefit from new paediatric medical equipment as a result of a child-lens investment by Save the Children Global Ventures (SCGV).

More than 400 children in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were recruited by armed actors in January and February this year, with some as young as 14 years and some reported picked up from schools and the streets and put at immediate risk of violence, said Save the Children

About 375,000 children are missing out on education and vulnerable to violence and recruitment by armed groups in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where about 17% of schools are closed following an escalation in conflict this year, Save the Children said.

At least four children have also died upon arrival in Burundi due to illness, said Save the Children, with the squalid conditions in the transit camps and lack of medical supplies leaving children extremely vulnerable to disease and death.

Staff Account: Elias works with Save the Children in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). During the recent escalation of conflict, he was in Goma, but was able to leave for Bukavu, South Kivu, which is separated from Goma by Lake Kivu. When the fighting reached Bukavu, he was forced to hide in his home with his family. Here, Elias shares his experience:

At least 28 children were among 52 people killed in a violent attack in Djugu territory, Ituri province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a wave of extreme violence fuels an escalating humanitarian crisis across the country, said Save the Children.

Staff Account: Elias works with Save the Children in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). During the recent escalation of conflict, he was in Goma, but was able to leave for Bukavu, South Kivu, which is separated from Goma by Lake Kivu. Here, Elias shares what they have seen of the humanitarian situation in DRC.

About 120,000 children have been forced from their homes in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the start of the year as a wave of horrifying violence hits villages [1] with some children becoming separated from their parents and one town cut off, said Save the Children.

Escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has displaced 100,000 people - more than half of whom are children - since the start of this year, with the conflict blocking access for aid teams, said Save the Children.

The new and aggressive strain of the potentially deadly mpox virus is spreading rapidly among children in the DRC and Burundi, with cases more than doubling since a public health emergency was declared in mid-August.

Over the past decade, climate change has gained global attention, driving a shift to cleaner energy and increased demand for cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Despite its vital role in green technology, cobalt mining often exploits children and poses severe health risks. In this blog, we advocate the importance of ensuring a just transition to protect children's rights.