Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu - Scale up Response Report (Reporting period July - October 2023)

HIGHLIGHTS

The humanitarian situation remains alarming in the three provinces of the eastern DRC (North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri), due to the increased number of displacements following the intensification of conflict and the deterioration of the security situation in several territories. The reporting period also recorded attacks on humanitarian partners, civilians and their property, such as in the territories of Rutshuru, Masisi, Nyiragongo and Beni in North Kivu; Mahagi, Irumu, Mambassa and Djugu in Ituri; and Shabunda, Walungu and Mwenga in South Kivu.

Violent clashes resumed in October in the territories of Rutshuru and Masisi of North Kivu and reached the axis Sake-Kitshanga and Kibumba. Over 400,000 movements of people were recorded in the territories of Rutshuru, Masisi, Lubero, Beni and Walikale. Protection partners reported 37 people killed in armed attacks in the last two weeks of October in the health zones of Oïcha. As a result of these attacks, several humanitarian organizations suspended their operations, depriving over 100,000 people of humanitarian aid. In the same area, school activities were also suspended from 23 October to 6 November due to the death of three teachers and more than 12 school children in this attack. Protection partners recorded that more than 410 people were killed in armed attacks in Beni territory between January and October 2023.

In South Kivu, the security situation remained tense in the territories of Kalehe, Shabunda and Mwenga following clashes between two-armed group factions between 3 and 25 October, which resulted in the displacement of around 55,000 people in the Bunyakiri, Kalehe, Kaniola, Kalole, Itombwe, Mulungu, Lulingu and Shabunda health zones. In Katana health zone of Kabare territory also in South Kivu), torrential rains also displaced 1,050 people on 13 October.
The provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu are the provinces most affected by cholera and measles epidemics in 2023, with 26,660 cholera cases (including 67 deaths) and 7,752 measles cases (including 104 deaths) from epidemiological week 1 to week 43 (29 October 2023). Since the beginning of 2023, almost two million people have been newly displaced in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri, bringing the total of IDPs to more than 5.5 million in the three provinces alone. Women account for 51 per cent of the displaced population. Over 85 per cent of these displacements are due to armed attacks and clashes.

Humanitarian partners remain committed to deliver multi-sectoral assistance. By the end of October 2023, humanitarian partners have reached over 58.8 per cent of the people targeted in the three provinces under the IASC system-wide scale up activation of the humanitarian response and corresponding operational plan. The lack of funding has forced many humanitarian partners to focus on an even smaller number of communities, leaving millions of people with unmet needs or limited support. Several cluster partners reported not having funding available in the pipeline after December 2023.