Over 3,380 Cases of Gender-Based Violence Recorded in December

Nyiragongo, Goma and Karisimbi, North Kivu January 19, 2026 - In December alone, more than 3,380 cases of gender-based violence were recorded in the health zones of Nyiragongo, Goma, and Karisimbi, worsening the critical shortage of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits. A humanitarian report on North Kivu, particularly in the Nyiragongo territory and the city of Goma, indicates that the security situation remained generally calm, despite brief clashes reported between December 9 and 14 in the villages of Ngangi and Kiziba. The report highlights that women and girls remain particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, especially when traveling to Virunga National Park to collect food and firewood. In December, humanitarian partners documented more than 3,380 cases of gender-based violence, a situation aggravated by a critical shortage of PEP kits, the main gap in care for survivors of sexual violence in North Kivu. For the period from December 2025 to February 2026, the unmet need amounts to 20,484 kits. While support enabled the resupply of 23 out of 34 health zones, 11 zones remain completely without kits. Since the beginning of 2025, the escalation of the conflict and intensified attacks by the Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 in North and South Kivu have displaced hundreds of thousands of people, worsening an already critical humanitarian crisis. The violence has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded, while blocked roads and insecurity continue to hinder humanitarian access. Despite these conditions, humanitarian actors continue providing emergency medical care, food assistance, and other life-saving aid, while negotiating access to affected areas. Many voices are now calling on all stakeholders to respect their commitments and take concrete steps to silence the guns and restore peace after nearly three decades of conflict.