9. Children affected by the conflict
9.2. Conflict-related violence directed against children
2528 (2020). The evidence demonstrates the presence of children within URDPC/CODECO,36 some carrying AK-type assault rifles, ammunition and bladed weapons […]
One source with first-hand knowledge of the group said that URDPC/CODECO used children as combatants. A video recording of the entry of ALC/CODECO into Bunia on 4 September 2020 shows children among the combatants […]
URDPC/CODECO leadership denied any participation of children in combat or in URDPC/CODECO and ALC/CODECO activities.482
In a press release on 26th April 2021 regarding children and violence in Ituri, UNICEF reported that “there have been nearly 175 grave violations since January 2021, including cases of recruitment of children into armed groups, killings and maiming of children, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals”.483
According to UNICEF “91 children were killed, 27 were maimed and 13 were victims of sexual violence between January and June 2020. […] attacks against more than 60 schools have left around 45,000 children out of the classroom”.488
Additionally, UNICEF noted in another report that “in the first half of 2020, as violence intensified in Ituri and North and South Kivu provinces, severe violations against children, including killings and maiming, recruitment into armed groups, and attacks against schools and hospitals increased by 16 %”.489
The UN Secretary General report covering the period 1 January 2018 to 31 March 2020 noted that “between 11 and 17 September 2019, in Djugu territory, Ituri, CODECO killed 10 children between the ages of 3 and 17, three of whom were decapitated”.490
The same report noted that “in the first quarter of 2020, there were 53 children killed (37) and maimed (26)”.491
The UN Group of Experts on DRC noted in its report that “in May 2020, Bon Temple combatants abducted a 13-year-old Hema girl who was fetching water near Itendeyi, Banyali-Kilo. […]. In October or November 2020, eight combatants of “General Tuwo” ambushed two young Hema women collecting wood on Dii Hill, Walendu Djatsi sector”.492
According to the same report “on 30 November 2020, in a signature attack, five CODECO combatants killed and maimed four women and six children under 10 years”.493
In an earlier report by the UN Secretary General covering the period 17 June to 18 September 2020, it was noted that:
MONUSCO verified 242 grave violations against children in Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika, Kasai and Kasai Central. A total of 23 children (20 boys and 3 girls) were reportedly killed or maimed, including 15 killed by Djugu-based assailants in Djugu and Mahagi territories.
Nine girls were raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence in North Kivu and South Kivu.494
The UN Secretary-General report covering the period from 2 December 2020 to 18 March 2021 noted that “MONUSCO verified 217 grave violations against 215 children (35 girls and 180 boys), representing an increase of 13 per cent compared with the previous reporting
488 UNICEF, Unrelenting violence continues to impact children in Ituri, Eastern DRC, 5 October 2020
489 UNICEF, Country Office Annual Report 2020,
490 UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary General Children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 19 October 2020, para. 32
491 UN Security Council, Report
of the Secretary General Children and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 19 October 2020, para. 30
492 UN Security Council, Letter dated 10 June 2021 from the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council, 10 June 2021 , para. 86
493 UN Security Council, Letter dated 10 June 2021 from the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo addressed to the President of the Security Council, 10 June 2021 , para. 87
494 UN Secretary General, United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 21 September 2020, para. 54
period. A total of 16 children (3 girls and 13 boys) were killed or maimed. Twenty girls were raped or subjected to other forms of sexual violence”.495
The UN report covering the period January to December 2020 noted that:
The United Nations verified the killing (220) and maiming (143) of 363 children (217 boys, 146 girls), mostly attributed to armed groups (294): CODECO (140), NDC-Rénové (27), the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) (26), Nyatura (23), unidentified Mai-Mai groups (16), Mai-Mai Apa Na Pale (14) and other armed groups (48). Government forces were responsible for 59 child casualties (armed forces (43) and the national police (16)), while another 10 casualties resulted from landmines and explosive remnants of war.496[….]The United Nations verified that 396 girls and 2 boys were subjected to sexual violence by armed groups (261) (Nyatura (50), NDC-Rénové (40), CODECO (31), Mai-Mai Mazembe (20), other groups (120)) and by government forces (137) (armed forces (92), national police (41), Agence nationale de renseignements (4).497
The Kivu Security Tracker recorded and documented that “unidentified armed men abducted and raped three girls near Kibaya village in Rutshuru territory”.498
Referring to human rights violations throughout 2020 as documented and confirmed by the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), its analysis for the year found:
In 2020, MONUSCO’s Child Protection Section documented and verified 3,470 grave violations of the rights of the child in the context of armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which represents a decrease compared to 2019 (3.831 violations).
In total, 3,237 of the grave violations of the rights of the child documented in 2020 (namely 93%) are attributable to armed groups and militias and 223 violations (namely 7%) were committed by State agents, mainly FARDC soldiers (159 violations) and PNC agents (59 violations).
Among the armed groups and militias, the main perpetrators of the violations documented in 2020 are the Mayi-Mayi Mazembe (635 abuses), Nyatura (422 abuses), Djugu-based armed assailants (365 abuses), Mayi-Mayi Apa na Pale (324 abuses) and NDC-R (271 abuses).
These violations were documented in the provinces of North Kivu (1,934), Ituri (526), South Kivu (356), Tanganyika (341), Kasai Region (252), Maniema (46) and Haut-Katanga (14).499
The same source further highlighted:
The most documented conflict-related violation is the recruitment of children. In 2020, at least 2,101 children (including 279 girls and 1,822 boys) were separated from armed groups and militias. Among the armed groups and militias, the main perpetrators of recruitment and use of children are the MayiMayi Mazembe (503 children), Nyatura (294), Mayi-Mayi Apa na Pale (249), NDC-R (159), AFRC (135), Kamwina Nsapu (126), Rayia Mutomboki (101), FDLR FOCA (92) and Djugu-based armed assailants (86). The provinces most affected by the recruitment of children are North Kivu (1,306), Tanganyika (251), South Kivu (234), the Kasai region (179), Ituri (130) and Maniema (one).500
495 UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 March 2021, para. 54
496 UN Security Council, Children and Armed Conflict, 6 May 2021, para. 51
497 UN Security Council, Children and Armed Conflict, 6 May 2021, para. 52
498 Kivu Security Tracker, Unknown Abduction, 7 January 2021
499 UN Joint Human Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UJHRO), Analysis of the human rights situation in 2020, 31 May 2021, paras. 58 and 59
500 UN Joint Human Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UJHRO), Analysis of the human rights situation in 2020, 31 May 2021, para. 60
The report also noted the killing and maiming of children:
At least 363 children were killed (220) or maimed (143) in 2020. Armed groups are responsible for 304 of these violations and State agents for 54, with Djugu-based armed assailants (140) and FARDC soldiers (43) as the main perpetrators. The causes of death were ethnically-motivated raids on villages (146), crossfire between the FARDC and armed groups (25), clashes between armed groups (23), and cases where the victims were killed during looting (13), by explosive remnants of war (seven) and in other gunshot incidents (six). These cases were mainly documented in the provinces of Ituri (165), North-Kivu (136), Tanganyika (20), South-Kivu (17), Maniema (14) and the Kasai region (11).501
According to the UN Secretary-General’s report covering major events and developments between 19 March and 18 June 2021, the situation was described as follows:
From March to April [2021], MONUSCO verified 281 grave violations against children, representing an increase of 27.6 per cent compared with the previous reporting period. A total of 51 children, including 11 girls, were killed or maimed. Twenty-three of these children were killed by armed groups during targeted attacks.502
9.2.1. Displacement of children
According to a report by UNICEF, “by November 2020, official figures showed there were around 5,2 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in DRC, mostly in the four eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika. Just over 3 million of the IDPs are children, including nearly half a million under the age of 5”. 503
9.2.1.1. North Kivu
No specific information in relation to North Kivu was found amongst the sources consulted within the time frame for this report.
9.2.1.2. South Kivu
No specific information in relation to South Kiva was found amongst the sources consulted within the time frame for this report.
9.2.1.3. Ituri
UNICEF reported in February 2021 that “in the eastern province of Ituri alone, almost a million children have been forced from their homes by conflict”.504
In another press release, UNICEF reported in June 2021 that “the populations of two small towns in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been forced to flee their
501 UN Joint Human Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UJHRO), Analysis of the human rights situation in 2020, 31 May 2021, para. 63
502 UN Security Council, United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Report of the Secretary-General, 21 June 2021, para. 63
503 UNICEF, Fear and Flight: An Uprooted Generation of Children at Risk in Democratic Republic of Congof, February 2021 , p. 9
504 UNICEF, Fear and displacement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 19 February 2021
homes as violence by armed groups in the region continues to exact a grave toll on children and families. […] The recent attacks on the towns of Boga and Tchabi in Ituri Province have been devastating for children, many of whom witnessed brutal acts of violence by assailants using machetes and heavy weapons“.505
9.2.2. Access to education
See also information included under section 12.3.4. Access to education [in Ituri for IDPs].
In its 2020 annual human rights report, Amnesty International noted that “the government closed schools, universities and other educational institutions on 19 March [2020] as part of its COVID-19 measures, affecting around 27 million students. [...]. Schools were re-opened on 10 August [2020]. Armed conflicts also disrupted the education of thousands of children, especially in the east”.506
Basing its analysis on COI compiled by a range of sources as well as on a review of recent rapid needs assessments undertaken in North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika, the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS) reported in October 2020:
According to incidents recorded in multi-sectural evaluations conducted by humanitarian partners in South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika in the first half of 2020, attacks targeting schools are common and have resulted in the destruction of infrastructure and, in some cases, human casualties (Multisectoral Assessment under OCHA 09/2020; COOPI 22/06/2020 Unknown/OCHA 23/04/2020; Unknown/OCHA 06/2020). On 31 August [2020] unidentified armed men attacked and raped female students at an examination centre hosting 35 final year students, 16 boys and 16 girls in Isiro town in Haut-Uélé province the night before exams (The Defense Post 31/08/2020). The students went on to take their exams the next day (BBC 01/09/2020). Also on 31 August [2020] in South Kivu province, about 700 students and their teachers fled after fighting near an exam centre. On 27 August [2020], at least two students and one teacher were reported to have been killed in Masisi area of North Kivu province following a confrontation between security forces and an armed group near an exam centre.
The students were killed while sitting the second day of the National Primary Endof-Studies Test in Ngoyi Primary School (UNICEF 28/8/2020). In June 2020, 13 children were killed by arrows during armed attacks in the town of Ngombe Mwana.507
The UN report covering the period January to December 2020 notes that “the United Nations verified 145 attacks on schools (101) and hospitals (44) and on protected persons in relation to schools and/or hospitals in Ituri (83), North Kivu (33), South Kivu (15) and other provinces (14), mostly attributed to armed groups.[..] Seventeen attacks were attributed to the armed forces”.508
Referring to human rights violations throughout 2020 as documented and confirmed by the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), its analysis for the year found:
A total of 101 attacks on schools were verified, affecting around 24,900 students, which is five times more attacks on schools compared to 2019 (20 attacks). More than half of these attacks
505 UNICEF, Grave consequences for children in eastern DRC after armed violence causes population displacement of two towns, 24 June 2021
506 Amnesty International, The State of the World’s Human Rights 2020/21, 7 April 2021, p. 139
507 Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), Education & Child Protection Challenges in Eastern DRC:
Impact of COVID-19, Conflict and Policy Reform, October 2020, p. 3/4
508 UN Security Council, Children and Armed Conflict, 6 May 2021, para. 53
are attributable to Djugu-based armed assailants (53), 38 to other armed groups and 10 to FARDC soldiers.509
In its infographic on North Kivu and Ituri, UNOCHA noted in March 2021 under “Other effects of the crisis” in relation to education that “40 schools [were] destroyed” and “509 657 Children deprived of education” and on health that “13 Medical Facilities [were] attacked”.510
9.2.2.1. North Kivu
The UN report covering the period 29 June to 25 September 2019 noted that “up to 25 schools remain closed in Masisi territory owing to insecurity, leaving approximately 3,000 students without access to education”.511
According to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack 2020 Report covering the period of 2017 to 2019 “local media reported that on October 1, 2019, armed assailants attacked school children en route to school and tortured them, in Limbeke-Mamove, Beni territory, North Kivu province”.512
On 29th August 2020 Al Jazeera reported that “at least two students and a teacher have been killed and several other teachers kidnapped after a primary school holding exams was attacked by unidentified gunmen in North Kivu”.513
UN report covering the period January to December 2020 notes that “five schools were used by the armed forces in North Kivu (4) and Tanganyika (1) for up to four months for military operations and subsequently vacated”.514
9.2.2.2. South Kivu
Very limited information was found specific to South Kivu within the timeframe of this report and amongst the sources consulted.
In October 2019, UNICEF documented that as a result of conflict outbreak in South Kivu
“19,633 children were directly affected by the destruction or occupation of their schools or child protection facilities”.515
9.2.2.3. Ituri
509 UN Joint Human Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (UJHRO), Analysis of the human rights situation in 2020, 31 May 2021, para. 64
510 UNOCHA, Deterioration of the humanitarian situation: Beni, Mambasa and Irumu Territories, 2 March 2021
511 UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary General United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 27 September 2019, III. Security situation, para 20
512 Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA), Education Under Attack 2020, p. 133
513 Al Jazeera, Two students, teacher killed in DR Congo school attack, 29 August 2020
514 UN Security Council, Children and Armed Conflict, 6 May 2021, para. 54
515 UNICEF, Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Situation Report No. 10, October 2019
UNICEF reported in September 2019 that “26,000 children, of which 13,500 girls, have been identified without access to education as a result of the Djugu crisis, Ituri province”.516 In an information note covering the period between 25 September and 2 October 2019, UNOCHA noted that [unofficial translation] “In Mahagi and Djugu territories, 34 schools have been occupied by more than 4,340 displaced people since June [2019]. It is estimated that more than 10,000 students are affected by this situation. More than 290 classrooms are used as shelters for the displaced at night. As a result, students are deprived of more than 4,070 desks, which have been completely destroyed. In addition, about 350 latrines are out of order.
The humanitarian community has sent an advocacy note to the provincial authorities to address this problem”.517
In an information note covering the period between 5 to 12 November 2019, UNOCHA noted that :
The October [2019] report of the child protection sub-cluster paints a bleak picture of the infrastructure for children in Ituri Province. According to the report, 13 schools are occupied by the army and police, affecting 3,875 children. There are also 45 allegations of schools being attacked, affecting 10,743 children. In addition, two "child-friendly spaces" are occupied and five others were attacked in the health zones of Linga, Jiba, Rethy, Fataki et Drodro.518
The UN Secretary General report covering the period 17 March 2020 to 16 June 2020 noted that “In Ituri, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received more than 100 allegations of serious child rights violations, such as rape, killing and maiming, attacks on schools as well as on health centres, during which large stocks of vaccines and parts of the cold chain were destroyed”.519
The UN report covering the period January to December 2020 noted that “CODECO deliberately destroyed 53 schools during attacks in Ituri”.520