DRC Lost Childhoods: The Continuing Conflict in the Kivu Provinces

The conflict across the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has dramatically deteriorated in the past few weeks. There are now more than two dozen armed groups active in the North and South Kivu provinces, and they are deliberately targeting civilians for revenge killings, mass rape, massacres of entire villages, child recruitment and other grave human rights violations.

In this report War Child calls for the protection of all children in the Kivu regions of the DR Congo. It describes their situation. The multitude of fighting groups – rebels as well as government troops – should adhere to the international standards for the protection of children in armed conflict.