Head of State Felix Tshisekedi is going to war against poverty, which has long taken up residence in the DRC. According to him, « poverty remains a mass phenomenon in the DRC, but one that we will all overcome together ». He made this solemn commitment on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, during the launch of the Accelerated Presidential Program to Fight Poverty and Inequality. A programme launched on the Lake of Ma Vallée site in the municipality of Mongafula.
In 2017, poverty was estimated at 63% with an incidence in rural areas of around 70%, despite the absence of a recent update of the national poverty survey.
This poverty is more pronounced in 15 DRC territories with an incidence of more than 85%, according to a study conducted in 2017 by the Cellule d’Analyses des Indicateurs de Développement (CAID). These are the territories of Boso-Bolo, Businga, Djolu, Inongo, Kasongo-Lunda, Katako-Kombe, Katanda, Kiri, Kole, Lodja, Lomela, Lusambo, Miabi, Poko, and Songololo.
Several alarming signal factors point to this rather glaring poverty. These include, in particular,:
Drinking water supply, which is around 26% at the national level, with a glaring disparity between the urban environment, which is 38% supplied, and the rural environment, which is 14% covered. Electricity supply with coverage of less than 10% nationally and only 1% in rural areas.
Lack of decent housing. In this regard, it can be seen that in rural areas, only 7% of homes are built with sustainable materials, while 95% of households lack any sanitation system, septic tanks and covered latrines.
Lack of schools for young people who are left to their own devices; no adult training either, no adequate health system, no roads in good condition to open up, no food, no income, etc.
Consequences of this poverty
Poverty is also one of the main vectors of violence and various other types of conflict. It encourages and revives the emergence of negative forces, including rebel movements, by encouraging the easy recruitment of poor women, men and children into various criminal enterprises, ranging from the « Kuluna » phenomenon in our cities to armed rebellions that are still raging in certain parts of the country.
Living in a hostile environment, without clean water or electricity, without schools or adult education, without adequate health care, without roads, without food, without income,… is one of the most insidious forms of human rights violations.
Nadine FULA