Adobe. (2023). DR Congo Map. Retrieved from https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=democratic+republic+of+congo+map&asset_id=64935161
Global Conflict & Crisis Strategic Solutions (GC2S2)
Our Mission: To contribute meaningfully in conflict zones and during times of crisis.
About us: GC2S2 is an action-based think tank in Tysons, Virginia, USA, focusing on the Middle East and Africa. We concentrate on long-term strategic solutions to conflicts and crises in 3 ways: research and analysis to identify issues in countries we operate in, providing humanitarian aid through emergency & crisis services, distributing supplies locals need, and capacity building by establishing long-term sustainable solutions.
We are an apolitical organization and do not intervene or involve ourselves with any political entities or organizations.
Purpose: The weekly report aims to bring awareness to critical issues throughout the Middle East and Africa while identifying ways to address these concerns. We use these reports to identify future projects and strategic solutions for the problems raised. The weekly report is meant to be clear, concise, and inform readers while simultaneously providing unbiased perspectives and insights by addressing every issue pragmatically and holistically.
Projects: Currently, GC2S2 is developing two main projects focused on Syria and Lebanon. The Syria aid basket project is designed to provide 3,100 refugees with a monthly supply of essential food and hygiene kits. The Lebanon project is designed around digital literacy and English courses to alleviate rural Lebanon’s lack of educational access.
The Crisis
The Eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been characterized by conflict, displacement, and insecurity for many years. The provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika provinces are most affected in the last 30 years. This region has been the site of armed conflict and violence involving multiple armed groups, militias, and government forces.
The current situation in the DRC was caused by the 1994 genocide in neighboring Rwanda. The ethnic violence there led to the displacement of millions of refugees into the DRC. These refugees formed armed groups and militias, many of which are still active in the region today. One of the main causes of the struggle is the competition for control over the region’s rich natural resources, including minerals such as coltan, gold, and tin. These resources are often smuggled out of the country and sold illicitly on the black market, generating profits for armed groups that control the mines. These ores are referred to as “conflict minerals,” and directly correlate with the conflict zones of the Eastern provinces.
Atlas du continent africain. (2000). Democratic Republic of the Congo mineral resources. Retrieved from https://mondediplo.com/maps/congo2006
The ongoing conflict has had a significant impact on the population, particularly on women and children. According to the United Nations, the region is home to more than 5.8 million displaced people, many of whom are living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in displacement camps. The sheer amount of displaced people has led to a breakdown of social structures, a rise in gender-based violence, and other forms of violence against women and girls. The collapse of institutions is systemic; every conflict in a neighboring country causes a spillover into the DRC. The Congolese are dealing with cyclical political instability resulting in many outside incursions into their territory.
Schools are often targeted by armed groups making it difficult for teachers and students to attend school safely. Warbands will use schoolhouses to store weapons and munitions, leading them to be targeted for destruction by intervening government forces. Furthermore, armed groups target schools and the commuting school children for conscription. As a result, families are hesitant to send their children the distances required to reach schools. Apart from conscription, children are also used as slave labor in mines and the agricultural sector to further armed groups’ financial resources. 17.4% of Congolese children are working and out of school; these reported percentages are likely much higher as the data to combine kidnapped children forced into labor is not available.
The DRC switched from a fee-based to a state-funded model to finance education in 2019. The change allowed children from poorer families to attend school, however, it strained the already challenged economy and bureaucratic infrastructure of the DRC. While many international observers applauded the spirit of the change, analysts were skeptical of the DRC’s ability to effectively implement such a widespread change in a timely manner.
COVID-19 emerged and further disrupted the DRC’s new system before the results of the change in funding could be made apparent. The DRC government ordered the closure of all educational institutions to curb the spread of COVID-19 in March of 2020. This closure affected more than 27 million students across the country, from primary schools to universities. The closures disrupted new enrollments, and countless school children have not yet fully returned to classes.
Solutions
GC2S2 can provide educational resources such as textbooks, supplies, and learning materials to schools in the region. This will help improve the quality of education and ensure that students have the resources they need to learn. With greater access to educational materials, students will be able to improve their grades and test scores ultimately enhancing their ability to pursue higher education and secure future employment.
Additionally, GC2S2 can provide training and professional development opportunities for teachers to improve planning lessons, managing classrooms, and engaging students in learning. This will lead to improved academic performance among students and provide a more positive learning environment. Local teachers who receive training will both directly and indirectly improve their communities by developing other teachers and future leaders.
Furthermore, projects to build new schools or repair existing ones in the region will increase access to education and ensure that students have a safe learning environment. The construction of these facilities will create jobs for local communities, which will positively impact local economies.
Long-term solutions in the DRC are difficult to establish due to constant political instability in the DRC. Coupled with the instability of their neighboring countries such as Uganda and Rwanda, the detrimental effects of loose border control and insufficient internal security magnify this issue. Thus, a grass-roots approach to addressing academic issues is the most effective solution.
GC2S2 works with local leaders to support community-led initiatives aimed at improving education in the region. This can help to ensure that interventions are culturally appropriate and responsive to the needs of local communities. Part of our mission is to remain sensitive to sustainability in all of our projects.
Bibliography
U.S. Department of Labor. 2021 Findings on the worst forms of child labor. (2021). Retrieved May 1, 2023, from https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/child_labor_reports/tda2021/Congo-Democratic-Republic-of-the.pdf
UNICEF Global Development Commons. COVID-19 School closures in the DRC: Impact on the health, protection and education of children and youth. (n.d.). Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://gdc.unicef.org/resource/covid-19-school-closures-drc-impact-health-protection-and-education-children-and-youth
UNHCR. UNHCR concerned by conflict’s toll on hundreds of thousands displaced in eastern DR Congo. (2023.). Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://www.unhcr.org/news/unhcr-concerned-conflicts-toll-hundreds-thousands-displaced-eastern-dr-congo