Orlando Bloom describes the ‘devastating impact’ of violence in DR Congo on women and children – Global Issues

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom visited the region for the first time this week to see the appalling conditions there with my own eyes.

“The staggering scale of the conflict in eastern DRC, the horrific level of violence and its devastating impact on the children and women I met are heartbreaking,” said Mr Bloom.

“No child should have to live in the deplorable conditions I witnessed in the IDP camp, separated from their families, hungry, unable to go to school and at constant risk of sexual abuse, violence and exploitation. ”

The ongoing conflict in the DRC is the result of years of fighting between a plethora of non-state armed groups, especially the M23 and the so-called Allied Democratic Forces (AFD).

The conflict has displaced nearly seven million people An increase of 25 percent in 2023. 25.4 million people are in humanitarian need, the largest number in any country in the world in 2024.

Children and women are disproportionately affected by the conflict. Following the Hollywood actor’s trip to a displaced persons site, he called for much more humanitarian support in the conflict-affected region.

Impact on children

The UN identified more than a thousand serious human rights violations against children in the three eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu in the first quarter of this year, 30 percent more than in the last quarter of 2023.

“It is a heartbreaking reality that children caught up in conflict face abduction, recruitment and use by armed groups, violence and abuse – and we know that the reports we have are just the tip of the iceberg,” said UNICEF‘s DRC representative Grant Leaity.

The UN children’s agency called on the parties to this conflict to put an end to serious violations against children, and to hold perpetrators accountable.

Support from UNICEF

Mr Bloom visited a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space in the Bushagara displacement area, a safe environment where children can enjoy supervised recreation and psychosocial support. Despite the constant threat of violence that still pervades the area, he said he has witnessed a glimmer of hope.

“In these UNICEF-supported spaces, I saw hope as girls and boys found a place where they felt safe, where they could get psychosocial support, dance and play, and enjoy being a child.”

Last year, UNICEF also reunited more than 9,000 children in eastern DRC with their families or placed them in temporary foster care. They have helped more than 400,000 children, adolescents and caregivers with mental health and psychosocial support.

Gender dimensions

Gender- and conflict-related sexual violence against women and children remained high in 2023 and has increased further this year.

Mr Bloom met survivors of sexual violence at Panzi Hospital and the Panzi Foundation in South Kivu during his visit, noting that the harrowing stories shared were “utterly devastating”. However, Mr Bloom saw firsthand the difference that dedicated support can make.

“Support, including health care, psychological support and legal assistance, helps survivors find the strength to rebuild their lives, but more must be done to protect every girl and woman,” Bloom said.

Humanitarian needs are growing

In eastern DRC, approximately five million people, including 2.8 million children, are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. UNICEF provides education, healthcare and psychosocial support. The agency also provides water and sanitation and protection assistance to children, women and families affected by the conflict. However, the agency’s $804.3 million humanitarian appeal is only 10 percent funded.

“Every day, children and women in DRC’s displaced persons camps face enormous hardship. Their needs are overwhelming and the response to the crisis is inadequate. We must urgently unite to ensure they live in safety and dignity,” the Goodwill Ambassador said.