The U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has cancelled a major contract to supply emergency kits for rape survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a decision that has left thousands without access to life-saving medication as violence surged in the east this year. The cancellation was confirmed today by the United Nations and various aid groups operating in the region.
The emergency kits, crucial for immediate medical intervention, include medication to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as emergency contraception to avert unwanted pregnancies. Aid organizations stress that timely access to these kits, ideally within 72 hours of an assault, is vital for a survivor’s health and future.
According to reports from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other humanitarian organizations, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contract, intended to resupply Congo’s war-ravaged eastern provinces for the year, was abruptly terminated. This has left thousands of health centers in critical areas without essential provisions at a time when conflict, particularly involving M23 rebels, has been escalating dramatically since January 2025. The UN has indicated that some 67,000 incidences of rape have been recorded since the latest escalation, with many more likely going unreported.
Officials from the United Nations and various aid groups, including CARE International, expressed grave concerns, highlighting the dire consequences of the cancellation, which include a heightened risk of survivor deaths, the spread of HIV, and unsafe abortions. Noemi Dalmonte, the deputy representative in Kinshasa for UNFPA, noted that the “pipeline got disrupted at a very unfortunate time,” leaving less than one in four survivors’ needs currently being met for post-rape care.
