The United Nations Human Rights Office in the Democratic Republic of Congo (BCNUDH) has reported alarming levels of sexual violence against women and girls in 2025, with state security forces and the FDLR armed group among the main perpetrators.
In a statement released on March 8, 2026, BCNUDH reported that last year, 854 women and 672 girls were subjected to sexual assault, with nearly 80% of cases occurring in North and South Kivu provinces.
The UN office indicated that armed groups, including those from the Wazalendo coalition, CODECO, FDLR, and ADF, were responsible for 75% of these attacks. Shockingly, state actors; including the Armed Forces (FARDC), National Police (PNC), and National Intelligence Agency (ANR), were implicated in 19% of reported cases.
BCNUDH also noted that some women and girls were held captive for prolonged periods and repeatedly assaulted by state forces, police, intelligence agents, or armed groups. In some cases, victims were forcibly impregnated.
The report highlighted that children born from these assaults often face social exclusion, as many are not registered in civil records, leaving them vulnerable to recruitment into armed groups.
BCNUDH called on the DRC government and armed groups to immediately halt hostilities, release all women and girls held against their will, and end all acts of sexual violence. The office also urged the government to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and that children born from sexual violence are officially registered to protect their rights.
