USAID Cancelled Rape Survivor Kits in Congo Amid Escalating Conflict

 

In a troubling development, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) abruptly cancelled a major contract to deliver post-rape emergency kits to eastern Congo as violence intensified in the region this year. These kits contain critical medication to prevent HIV, treat sexually transmitted infections, and offer emergency contraception for survivors of sexual violence. The cancellation left thousands of health centres empty-handed during a time when sexual violence has sharply increased due to ongoing conflict.

According to the United Nations and leading humanitarian groups, the contractmeant to supply over 2,000 facilitieswas cancelled following a 90-day foreign aid freeze imposed by President Donald Trump shortly after taking office. Elon Musk, who led a short-lived government efficiency initiative, also played a role by dismantling parts of USAID, including the department handling this contract. The supplier involved remains unnamed for security reasons.

On the ground, aid workers in South Kivu describe heartbreaking scenes. Survivorsmostly women and girlsare being turned away from clinics due to the lack of medicine. Only 13% of those seeking care receive HIV prevention treatment within the crucial 72-hour window. The UN reports at least 67,000 documented cases of rape since January, with many more likely unreported.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) confirmed that only 7 of the 34 health zones in North Kivu have a minimal supply left. This shortfall is particularly devastating as post-rape care is often the only reassurance a survivor receives to avoid life-altering consequences like AIDS or unwanted pregnancy.

Despite official statements from the U.S. promising continued support for life-saving programs, this specific contract remains cancelled. Humanitarian groups are now urgently seeking alternative funding to restore services.

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The fallout from USAID’s cancellation of Congo’s rape survivor kit contract is severe and immediate. Humanitarian workers on the front lines are reporting increased trauma, survivor deaths, and surging risks of HIV and other infections. Emergency kits are now critically scarce, with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) warning that less than one-quarter of survivors’ needs are being met.

These kits are not just boxes of supplies. Each one is a lifelineequipped with HIV prevention pills, antibiotics, STI tests, and emergency contraception. Without them, survivors face an increased risk of long-term physical and psychological harm. In one heartbreaking account, a healthcare worker described the pain of telling a victim that they had nothing to offer, not even basic medication, and asking her to leave.

The cancellation stems from a broader push by former President Trump to reduce U.S. spending on foreign aid. Trump repeatedly argued that the U.S. contributes disproportionately to global assistance and should force other countries to do more. While the U.S. disbursed about $65 billion in aid last yearalmost half through USAIDTrump’s administration paused and cut programs it deemed nonessential, despite active conflict zones like Congo.

The United Nations and aid organizations such as CARE International are now racing to raise $35 million to make up for the U.S. shortfall. They’re calling on private donors like the Gates Foundation and supportive Western governments to step in. Without immediate intervention, the gap in services could lead to further devastationmore unsafe abortions, higher maternal death rates, and an unchecked rise in sexually transmitted infections among survivors.

As aid dries up, the survivors of Congo’s brutal war are left to pay the price. The international community is being urged to act before more lives are lost.