Children First Organisation
DRC: OVER 1.5 MILLION CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION AS GOMA FACES HEAVY FIGHTING, SAVE THE CHILDREN
Sources: Save the Children International
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The security situation in eastern DRC has worsened dramatically, with fighting now reaching Goma, with children the most vulnerable.
GOMA, 27 January 2025 – Children caught in heavy fighting in the town of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must be protected with Save the Children concerned for their safety amid the worst escalation of violence in the country in more than a decade.
Currently about 3 million people live in Goma, including 1 million displaced people. Save the Children estimates over half of those – or over 1.5 million - are children [1].
Large parts of Goma have been without water and electricity since Friday, and parents have no food or clean water for their children. People are trying to flee but with nowhere to go.
Children have already been affected in the chaos in and out of Goma, with four children wounded by explosives in the town of Minova – 30km from Goma - last week and a baby injured in an attack on a hospital in Goma today.
Save the Children’s office in Goma was hit by an explosion today, and the house of a Save the Children employee struck with bullets. While no staff were injured in these attacks, staff along with other members of the community remain at risk as intense fighting continues.
Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director for DRC said:  
“The situation is confusing, complex and horrific. There is no safe place to go from Goma. Every time a family flees the guns and bombs to a supposed safe place, they are forced to move again.
“Children have lost their parents. Two days ago, a bomb landed in a displacement camp, people fled, and there was a girl left wandering around the city, unsure of where her parents were or where she’d get her next meal. We spoke to her an hour ago and she still hadn’t eaten since yesterday. It’s a horrible, horrible place to be a child at the moment.
“We have heard horrific reports of gang rape and violence against young children in recent weeks, and we hold grave fears for the wellbeing and safety of the children remaining in Goma or fleeing for their lives.
“Displacement camps on the outskirts of Goma have been emptied as people flee once again in search of safety. Thousands of families escaping from violence in Minova – 30km from Goma - are now stranded in areas lacking clean water and food supplies, as boat crossings to Goma have stopped working.
“The situation is desperate, and we need urgent global action, now. We urge all parties involved in the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access. We reiterate our call on the international community to take immediate actions to address the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis in the DRC. This includes providing emergency assistance to those displaced, supporting efforts to protect civilians and working towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
"What we ask most is peace to return, calm to return, so children can be safe and we can continue our essential humanitarian work.”
Conflict in DRC has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children, displaced and more than 26 million people – or one in every four people – in need of humanitarian assistance.  
Save the Children has worked in DRC since 1994 to meet humanitarian needs linked to the arrival of refugees and the displacement of populations due to armed conflict in eastern provinces. Save the Children has scaled up its humanitarian response to support existing care systems, training local leaders and communities to prevent and respond to exploitation and abuse, and ensuring access to healthcare through mobile clinics. It is also helping children access basic education by building classrooms, training teachers, and distributing learning materials.  
NOTES:
[1] While the exact child population of Goma isn’t known, with children making up 52% of the population of the DRC, Save the Children estimates some 1,560,000 children are currently in Goma in the thick of the fighting.
41st International Symposium on Child Abuse
Just like in 2024, this year Children First Organisation was invited to take part to the 41st International Symposium on Child Abuse. I remember how sad was-it last year, when we informed Julia Aquila, Program Manager in charge of Conferences, at National Children’s Advocacy Center, that we could not participate to the 40th Symposium.
This year, three people were invited, the local Coordinator, our Attorney Coordinator and myself. Unfortunately, the current situation of D.R. Congo could not allow our members to process for the Visa from Kinshasa. But We did not want to miss this opportunity, because one of our Goals is: “To be the voice of the voiceless despite whatever it costs”.
We express our gratitude to National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC), for inviting us. They allowed us to share our expertise and dedication to this critical issue of Child abuse during the 41st International Symposium on Child Abuse that took place on March 17 – 20, 2025, in Huntsville, Alabama.
Before talking about the topic that was entrusted to Children First Organisation, we would like to expression our feelings , from the Huntsville Airport to the magnificent Von Braun Center, passing through the splendid AC Hotels, and when we met with Victoria Tumbleson and the check-in service members.
“The Symposium attracts an international audience of over 1,200 child maltreatment professionals and 45+ exhibitors. The purpose of this symposium is to bring together professionals and experts from the child maltreatment field to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging trends, and collaborate on innovative solutions”.
Our presentation was entitled: “Abused Children Victims of Tribal Conflicts in Africa”. During 75 minutes, assisted by Adelaide Waggoner, we tried to ensure attendees to be aware of child protection challenges in the situation of tribal conflicts in Africa and the way Children First Organisation is involved to stop child abuse or to report this crime.
In our presentation, we discuss all the consequences of tribal conflicts in South Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Central Africa, Cameroon, Chad and D.R. Congo. And we realized that our children are not only abused verbally, physically or sexually, but in all the aspects of their life, They are deprived of water, food, education, parental love, safe environment, right to live, right to speak, right to report an abuse.
Children First Organisation is condemning child enrollment into armes forces. We deplore massive kidnapping or killing in Africa. We denounce early or forced marriages. Finally, we decry silent Rape. Therefore, it is time to stand together as one voice, and to say STOP to tribal conflicts, STOP to child abuse, and STOP to gender gap.
Esaie MUANDA, Manager