UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

Purpose

February 2019 - From new violence in peaceful areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), such as Ituri, to multiple Ebola outbreaks, and the forced return of hundreds of thousands of Congolese refugees and IDPs, 2018 pushed the limits of DRC's humanitarian assistance. These challenges, coupled with cyclical violence and a lack of basic services exacerbated live-saving needs across the east and centre of the country. Millions of Congolese bear the brunt, which is characterized by worsening inter-ethnic tensions and conflict and where widespread human rights abuses, including sexual violence, are a defining feature. In 2018 alone, 1.26 million Congolese were newly displaced, and it is expected that 2019 will bring an additional 2.9 million returnees back to their areas of origin, creating significant needs in protection, livelihoods, and food security. Approximately 12.8 million people are food insecure and 4.28 million children are suffering from malnutrition.