Present and future of children born from rape and raped

The recurrent wars raging in the east of the DRC are the source of all the ills suffered by the population. The pattern of violence committed by armed groups has evolved as part of the heavy toll paid by the population. During armed conflicts, women and children have not been spared. This period of war has given rise to new phenomena, not least that of children born of rape, commonly known as enfants de personne. Their presence is a reminder of the horror within their community, and a source of rejection. Their identity poses a problem for integration, even though the constitution of the republic recognizes their status. Their stigmatization is a ticking time bomb that conceals a cycle of violence to come.