Photo Essay: Meeting Urgent Needs in Volatile Congo

As the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo prepare for the country’s first democratic elections in nearly half a century, civilians continue to be killed, injured and displaced by conflict in the eastern part of the country. The lead-up to the July 30 elections has already resulted in serious tension and a recent UN report describes the situation in the east as "extremely volatile".

The International Rescue Committee has provided humanitarian assistance in Congo since 1996 and played a key role in documenting the country's humanitarian crisis through a series mortality surveys. The latest survey, among the largest ever conducted in a conflict zone, found that nearly four million people have died since 1998. Nearly three years after the signing of a formal peace agreement, 38,000 people continue to die each month, contributing to a mortality rate one third higher than the average for sub-Saharan Africa.

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