
Crisis in Goma: Sexual Violence and Mass Displacement
Since the attack on Goma launched by M23 on January 23rd, 700,000+ people have been displaced. Schools are closed. Hospitals are overwhelmed.
Our partners at La Ligue pour la Solidarité Congolaise report that the situation in Goma and North Kivu has reached a devastating tipping point.
As armed conflict escalates, civilians are facing unspeakable atrocities, including widespread sexual violence.
Recent reports confirm mass sexual violence in Goma, including an atrocity inside Munzenze prison, where hundreds of women were raped and then burned alive following a mass jailbreak. While details are still emerging, UN officials warn that sexual violence is being used systematically by armed groups as a weapon of war, further exacerbating the crisis.
Our partners emphasize that these attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of gender-based violence linked to the instability in the region.
We welcome the announcement of a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons and urge that it be upheld in full, ensuring immediate and unrestricted access to aid for displaced communities and accountability for all crimes including sexual violence in the long-term.
Mass Displacement and Humanitarian Collapse
As M23 rebels advanced, more than 700,000 people in and around Goma have been displaced, many fleeing with no access to shelter, food, or medical assistance. The humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly:
- IDP sites have been targeted by shelling, killing civilians.
- Health centers are overwhelmed, with medical evacuations becoming nearly impossible as ambulances are attacked.
- Water, electricity, and internet have been cut off, making survival even more precarious.
- Schools remain closed, leaving displaced children vulnerable to further violence.
The Urgent Need for Action
La Ligue pour la Solidarité Congolaise and other frontline organizations are doing everything they can to support survivors, but without international attention and decisive action, the situation will only worsen.
- Survivors of sexual violence need urgent medical and psychological support.
- Humanitarian access must be guaranteed to prevent further loss of life.
- Accountability for crimes, particularly gender-based violence, must be prioritized.
We stand with our partners in demanding immediate action to protect survivors, ensure access to aid, and hold perpetrators accountable.