Sida's work in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), Sida contributes to important reforms in the justice sector and to monitoring and documenting the human rights situation. UNJHRO and the organisation TRIAL International provide technical support for government investigations and knowledge to bring war criminals to justice.

About the work on UNDP’s website

Access to paper newspapers and independent media is limited. Sida supports the training of journalists and the operation of local radio stations through Internews Europe, as well as the production of public theatre shows on current political issues, helping to raise public awareness of important issues.

About the work on the Internews website

Human rights defenders are at risk of persecution and detention. Despite some improvements, civil society organisations are also under pressure. Diakonia and several local organisations are strengthening the capacity of civil society to contribute to the democratic system, increase respect for human rights and increase the political participation of young people and women.

Through a new collaboration under the auspices of The National Council of Swedish Youth Organisations (LSU), young people’s participation and power in society is strengthened.

• About the work on Diakonia’s website
• About the work on LSU’s website

The province of Tanganyika is heavily affected by conflicts over natural resources. At the same time, women are the main breadwinners. Sida is supporting a project to increase farmers’ opportunities for sustainable production and livelihoods, for example through training in better farming methods and market engagement. Part of the project comprises the social Dimitra clubs, which have increased both gender equality and the level of self-sufficiency.

Article about the Dimitra Clubs (in Swedish only)

473 out of 100,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth.⁸ The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Congolese organisation SANRU are working with Swedish support to improve the country’s maternal and child health services, and are training midwives to identify and provide care to rape victims.

• About the work in DRC on the UNICEF website
• SANRU’s website

Only one in four women who do not want to become pregnant have access to modern contraceptives, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS, for example, is very low.⁹ The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and DKT International are working to ensure that people have access to services such as maternal health and contraception, with a particular focus on young people. The organisations train health workers. They also inform young people about gender-based violence and sexual and reproductive health.

• UNFPA’s website
• DKT International’s website

Although the right to abortion is enshrined in law, few people in the health sector and the legal system are aware of it. IPAS raises awareness and knowledge of what the law means in order to speed up implementation.

About the work on IPAS’ website

Sida contributes to building resilience to crises in conflict areas through several partnerships, including Women of Africa. Interpeace and the Life and Peace Institute work on dialogue and peacebuilding in the country’s eastern provinces. The organisations exchange experiences and knowledge that improve the work.

• About the work on Interpeace’s website
• About the work on the Life and Peace Institute’s website

The UN peacekeeping force MONUSCO has been on the ground in the DRC for over 20 years. Sida supports the implementation of an International Security and Stabilisation Strategy (ISSSS). The strategy is then implemented by MONUSCO together with the Congolese state.

MONUSCO’s website

The Congolese army is recruiting fewer and fewer children. But at the same time, the various armed groups are recruiting more and more children. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is helping both adults and children formerly involved in armed groups to return to normal life, including through training in peaceful conflict resolution, getting children into school and providing cash assistance to households struggling to make ends meet.

About the work for children at war on UNICEF’s website

Cooking with wood and charcoal is very bad for human health and kills about four million people a year in sub-Saharan Africa.¹¹ Through support to the Modern Cooking Facility for Africa, Sida is helping to accelerate market development and market access for companies investing in sustainable cooking methods. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this work contributes to better health for women and girls, who spend a lot of time cooking.

Modern Cooking Facility for Africa website

The Beyond the Grid Fund for Africa (BGFA) was launched by Sida in 2016 to provide access to electricity for people living in areas without national electricity grids. Many poor consumers spend a very large part of their income on substandard forms of energy. By mobilising private investment and helping renewable energy companies to develop their products and bring them to market, BGFA is helping to ensure that people have access to renewable, cheap and reliable energy instead. BGFA is present in several African countries.

Beyond the Grid for Africa website

Deforestation, pollution and poaching reduce biodiversity. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) run the PIREDD project in Equateur province in the DRC. The project, co-funded by Sida, engages local people in sustainable forest management, which also provides them with new livelihood opportunities. The project also strengthens people’s rights to the land on which they depend for their survival.

About the work in DRC on FAO’s website

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) meet urgent needs such as access to water, sanitation, housing and psychosocial support for IDPs.

• NRC’s work in the DRC
• UNHCR’s work in the DRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is one of the most important international organisations for protection and security. The ICRC works to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld in the treatment of civilians and detainees. The ICRC helps those negatively affected by conflict and violence to survive and become self-sufficient.

ICRC’s work in the DRC

Humanitarian Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs), coordinated by the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), support the emergency response of local and international organisations. By financing local initiatives, the fund can strengthen the resilience of communities in a flexible and proactive way.

UNOCHA Humanitarian Country Fund in the DRC

In partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and Action Against Hunger (AAH), people in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and Equator are being fed and treated for malnutrition. WFP is also working to strengthen the resilience of the population.

• AAH website
• WFP’s work in the DRC

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) plays an important role through its focus on children, its ability to act quickly, its high presence and its cooperation with local organisations. UNICEF works to protect children from violence and abuse, provide food and nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and access to education. UNICEF also works with the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), to integrate internally displaced people into local communities.

UNICEF’s work in the DRC