More than 400 children in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recruited into conflict in first two months of 2025
More than 400 children from the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) recruited armed personnel in January and February this year, some as old as 14 years old, and some reported that some were picked up from schools and on the streets and immediately at risk of violence, Say saving the children.
Preserving children’s local partners work in the north and south, documenting more than 400 cases Between January 2025 and February 2025, children who were newly associated with armed groups were at the time when violence escalated in the eastern part of the country. Some children have been reportedly picked up from the community and taken to the bushes for training to handle weapons against their will.
Save the Children Program provides support for children who have been released from armed groups. In 2024, the organization provided assistance to at least 220 children associated with armed groups in Ituri, North Kieff and South Kieff. These children receive both psychosocial and financial support to help them reintegrate into the community. Depending on age, some children return to school, while others receive vocational training in practical skills such as tailoring, carpenters or mechanics and provide them with tools to build a sustainable livelihood.
Save the Children said that recruiting, using and kidnapping of children in armed conflict is a serious violation of international humanitarian law and may constitute a war crime. These practices expose them to extreme violence and cause serious long-term physical and psychological harm.
Children are usually targeted for recruitment because they are cheaper, easier to control and manipulate, and because they want adults to protect them. Often, they are used to doing tasks that adults do not want to do, and may also be forced to perform violence, or commit violence against them, for example, because girls are recruited as soldiers’ “wife.”
Save the Children The number of serious violations against children in the Democratic Republic of the East Congo has been observed. UNICEF reports that serious violations have tripled since the latest escalation of violence that began on January 24, 2025. These illegal acts include recruitment and use of children in armed groups, killing and disability, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and kidnapping.
Junior*, 17, received support from helping her child:
“When we went to school with friends, a group of armed men took me away, so they took us into the bushes to train us to handle weapons to defend the country. We were so closely watching that no one could leave the training zone”
Greg Ramm, DRC Save Children’s National Director, said:
“The situation is unacceptable and urgent action is needed to protect the children of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We call on all parties to take immediate measures with the conflict to prevent and end these serious violations. The international community must ensure that independent human rights monitors enter the affected areas without restrictions for rigorous and child-sensitive investigations, and that perpetrators of such behavior must be considered.”
In recent years, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made progress in addressing child recruitment, including the adoption of an action plan in 2012 and the establishment of a joint technical working group for coordinated implementation. However, there is still much work to be done to ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence.
“We urge the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the international community and the governments of all stakeholders to jointly address the root causes of these violations and ensure that children are protected from harm” said Christian Selemani, a child protection partner.
Save the Children began working in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1994 and is currently working with 13 local partners as well as international partners and government authorities to provide critical health, nutrition, water, sanitation and sanitation, child protection and education support for children and their families.
Distributed by Apo Group on behalf of Rescue Children.
