The termination of USAID support in eastern DRC has had significant impacts on sexual and reproductive health provision. One women-led organization representative from the region said: “There are no rape kits in the hospital [...] that’s the biggest challenge in the fight. More than 2,000 victims don’t have access to kits.”

Date: 12/25

Region: Africa

Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo

Topic: Gender Equality & Inclusion, Health

Policy Lens: Moral Leadership

Entry Type: Field Observation

Additional Context: The lack of services for survivors of gender-based violence in this region are notable. Related supplies such as PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) kits, tetanus, and hepatitis vaccines are almost non-existent according to the organizations interviewed. Many of the service providers in these organizations have been forced to buy medicines from private pharmacies at inflated prices.

This report from the Women's Refugee Commission examines the dual shocks of renewed conflict and funding withdrawal in eastern DRC. The researchers reviewed publicly available secondary resources, and conducted fieldwork in August 2025. They interviewed eight women-led organizations and ten internally displaced women in North and South Kivu.

Source: Women's Refugee Commission