Congo: Forgotten Crisis
Conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken the lives of 5.4 million people since 1998 and continue to leave as many as 45,000 dead every month, according to a major International Rescue Committee study.
(Photo: Peter Biro/The IRC)
Congo and the IRC on 60 Minutes
60 Minutes recently traveled with the IRC to camps in North Kivu, eastern Congo that shelter thousands of people displaced by fighting. With IRC’s help, the TV crew took a close look at the humanitarian crisis and the root causes of Congo’s chronic violence. Watch the report, which aired on CBS Nov 29.
On Tuesday, Dec 1, IRC Congo expert Brian Sage joined our partners at the Enough Project for a special post-show telephone briefing. How the IRC helps in Congo >
Latest from North Kivu:
The IRC’s Peter Biro has just returned from North Kivu, where an upsurge of violence has uprooted hundreds of thousands of people. Some families have been forced to flee as many as four times.
Huffington Post: "We are forced to flee every two months"
Blog: "Women are afraid they could be raped any night here"
NEW Photos from Congo
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Congo Fact Sheet 
| How We Help
Counting Death to Save Lives
A major IRC survey found that 5,400,000 people have died from war-related causes in Congo since 1998 -- the world’s deadliest documented conflict since WW II. The vast majority died from non-violent causes such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition--easily preventable and treatable conditions when people have access to health care and nutritious food.
Archived surveys:
2000 l 2001 l 2002-2003 l 2004
How We Help
- The IRC is aiding thousands of people in need of emergency assistance in eastern Congo with medicine, clean water, and other vital aid.
- We also work on more long-term solutions for over 1.7 million people in 1,250 war- torn villages.
- We are helping thousands of people who have returned home after the conflict to rebuild their lives and communities.
- The IRC has helped over 40,000 survivors of sexual violence and their families.
- We are working with the Ministry of Health to provide essential health care for 3.6 million people.
- We are increasing access to education to keep children learning, even during emergencies.
