Democratic Republic of the Congo Appeal

The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 14.9 million people expected to require humanitarian assistance in 2026. More than 5.3 million people are internally displaced, including about 4 million children. Between January and September 2025, 2.7 million people were newly displaced, mainly due to escalating conflict in the eastern provinces.

The crisis falls most heavily on children. Children are exposed to three overlapping protection risks: recruitment and use by armed actors, sexual violence and family separation. Grave violations against children are fueled by the ongoing armed conflict. Cases of killing and maiming are projected to double in 2025 compared with 2024, while child abductions have sharply increased since January 2025.

According to the Education Cluster, 3.9 million people require humanitarian support for education, especially in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. As of 31 August 2025, direct threats and attacks by armed actors had forced the closure of more than 5,200 schools, depriving nearly 1.9 million children, almost half of them girls, of access to learning. 

Disease outbreaks continue to strain the country's fragile health system and other essential systems, putting children and families at further risk. Between January and October 2025, more than 60,000 suspected cholera cases and more than 1,700 cholera deaths were reported, the highest incidence in 25 years. In October 2025, an outbreak of Ebola virus disease with a 70 per cent case fatality rate in Kasaï Province further intensified pressures on health services. Measles outbreaks have resulted in more than 67,000 suspected cases and 1,012 deaths across 22 of the country’s 26 provinces; and there is an ongoing serious, countrywide outbreak of mpox, with 22,289 cases and 51 deaths reported in 2025 (as of 7 December).

In 2026, an estimated 5.2 million children under age 5 are expected to suffer from wasting nationwide. The number of children under age 5 experiencing severe wasting is projected to increase by 13 per cent, from 1.5 million in 2025 to 1.7 million in 2026 – a reflection of the overall deterioration in the nutritional status of children under age 5. 

In 2026, 5.3 million people will require emergency water and sanitation. Internally displaced women and children remain at heightened risk of faecal contamination and waterborne diseases. In several priority territories particularly in the eastern part of the country, less than 30 per cent of the population has access to safe water. Most schools and health facilities also lack functional water points, handwashing facilities and adequate biomedical waste management, exacerbating public health risks.

In 2026, UNICEF's humanitarian strategy is grounded in risk-informed, child-centred and gender-responsive programming that combines anticipatory action, life-saving rapid response and long-term systems strengthening. In line with the humanitarian reset and the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2026–2029, 22 the approach prioritizes people's immediate access to essential services while building resilient and inclusive community and government systems so that children can survive and learn and be protected during crises. Localization and accountability to affected populations are central. This includes direct support to local, women-led and youth-led organizations, as well as strengthening local and national systems.

During crises, UNICEF will activate a rapid response mechanism to address urgent multisectoral needs in health, nutrition and WASH, including provision of non-food items. Assistance will be delivered either through in-kind support or humanitarian cash transfers, with cash provided via mobile money using phones and SIM cards distributed by UNICEF. This will be complemented by anticipatory actions guided by predefined sector indicators, supported by pre-positioned supplies and flexible emergency financing to reduce the impact of shocks before they escalate. In affected and at-risk areas, epidemic preparedness and response will extend beyond cholera to include such targeted interventions as rapid WASH measures, rapid risk assessments and community engagement, as well as strengthened integrated disease surveillance and case management in coordination with government authorities.

UNICEF’s humanitarian response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will focus on the seven priority provinces where UNICEF has field offices. It will contribute to three of the five impact results of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2026–2029: saving children’s lives, strengthening children’s learning capacities and protecting children from all forms of violence. These are in line with government priorities in the country. 

UNICEF will systematically integrate gender equality across its response, including survivor-centred gender-based violence responses, harm-reduction approaches and a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. 

UNICEF will continue to lead the WASH, nutrition, and education clusters and coordinate child protection matters within the Protection Cluster, while supporting government leadership across all pillars of epidemic response. Funding priorities include flexible resources; emergency response mechanisms; and blended, integrated financing to strengthen resilient services and social protection systems, including cash transfers. UNICEF will monitor results through a risk-analysis framework aligned with national plans and the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, using real-time monitoring, community feedback and indicators disaggregated by sex, age, location and disability to ensure equitable impact.