The United Nations, UN, has condemned the widespread rape of children in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where thousands have reportedly been subjected to sexual violence due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
An official of the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, James Elder says reports show that children make up between 35 to 45 percent of the nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported in Congo.
Elder called for “additional prevention efforts, survivor-centred services, and safe, accessible ways for survivors to report abuse without fear”
Recall that Eastern DR Congo has been plagued by decades of conflict, but tensions have been heightened in recent months by the advance of the M23 armed group which the international community says is backed by Rwanda.