The aim of the workshop was to draw up an updated assessment of the situation of children in the eastern part of the DRC in 2025.
Faced with the resurgence of recruitment and use of children by armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, MONUSCO and its partners held an interprovincial workshop on reflection and coordination on October 28-29, 2025 in Beni (North Kivu).
Organized by the Regional Network of Civil Society Organizations Against the Recruitment of Child Soldiers, this meeting received support from MONUSCO's Child Protection section.
Coming from North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Maniema and Tanganyika, participants shared their experiences and strategies in addressing the persistence of child recruitment in their respective provinces. "Too many children are deprived of their childhood, of school and sometimes even of their lives. These children need our protection and our determined action. Every child we save is a step toward lasting peace," declared Joseph Sukisa Ndayambaje, provincial coordinator of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization Program (P-DDRC-S) in North Kivu, at the opening of the workshop.
For his part, Éric Kalobera, representative of the Governor of North Kivu, emphasized the social consequences of armed conflicts: "The repetition of clashes has weakened family, school and community structures, further exposing children to recruitment risks."
A concerning situation
Mathieu Ndongo Koni, interim head of MONUSCO's Child Protection section, painted an alarming picture: "The recruitment and use of children by armed groups in eastern DRC remains among the most serious and most documented violations by the United Nations. In 2024, 2,365 cases were recorded, notably involving M23, ADF, CODECO, Raia Mutomboki and Nyatura."
He also recalled that other persistent violations are reported: abductions, sexual violence, killings, mutilations, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals, not to mention impediments to humanitarian assistance.
Call for concerted action
The workshop aimed to establish an updated assessment of the situation in 2025, identify vulnerability factors, particularly for girls, and formulate recommendations to national authorities and international partners. Participants urged the Congolese government and the international community to redouble their efforts to separate children still associated with armed groups and support their community reintegration. Local actors were called upon to maintain their vigilance in monitoring and denouncing any form of child exploitation.
Raphaël Lumoo, member of the Regional Network of Civil Society Organizations Against the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, welcomed the momentum created by this meeting: "There remain more than 32,000 children associated with armed groups, nearly 28% of whom are girls. The government must strengthen the restoration of State authority and facilitate the reintegration of these children, with support from the international community within the framework of the peace process."
MONUSCO's support for this workshop illustrates its continued commitment alongside Congolese authorities and communities to strengthen child protection and promote a violence-free future for younger generations.