The United Nations recorded nearly 2,000 cases of sexual violence in North Kivu province in 2023, most linked to armed groups, marking a sharp rise from previous years.
According to the UN, 88 percent of incidents were carried out by fighters who used sexual violence as a weapon during raids and forced displacements. Victims included women, men and children.
The increase came as fighting escalated between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel movement after a February cease-fire collapsed. North Kivu has long been at the center of eastern Congo’s conflict, where armed groups compete for land and resources.
The UN urged the Congolese government to hold perpetrators accountable, including members of its own security forces named in the report. It also called for more support services for survivors, from medical and psychological care to legal aid.
The province is facing a broader humanitarian crisis, with more than 1 million people displaced in 2023. The M23 group, which resurfaced in 2021, has been accused of atrocities and blocking aid deliveries.
Regional mediation has so far failed to stop the violence.
