from JEAN KASSONGO in Kinshasa, DRC
DRC Bureau
KINSHASA, (CAJ News) – THE number of children going hungry in war-torn eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surged 50 percent due to escalating violence this year.
Over 2,3 million more children are now going without enough food, according to Save the Children, in its Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).
It shows the number of children facing crisis-level or worse food insecurity across the DRC between January and June this year has risen to 14,6 million, up from 12,3 million compared to the same period in 2024, with one in four children nationwide currently struggling to access enough food.
The crisis is particularly severe in the conflict-ridden eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tanganyika.
These regions are afflicted by insurgency.
“We are witnessing a catastrophic escalation of hunger among children in DRC,” lamented Greg Ramm, Director for Save the Children in the DRC.
He noted the ongoing violence in eastern DRC had displaced millions, leaving families without access to food, healthcare and other essential services.
In recent months, nearly 3 million people have been on the move, either displaced by conflict or returning to their areas of origin.
“Poverty rates remain high, particularly in rural areas. The international community must take immediate action to address this crisis and prevent further suffering especially among children,” Ramm said.
– CAJ News