U.S. Department of State 2003 Trafficking in Persons Report - Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Tier 2)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source country for trafficked persons. Rebel forces and militias continue to abduct and forcibly recruit Congolese men, women, and children to serve as forced laborers, porters, combatants, and sex slaves in areas of the country under their control. Internal trafficking for forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation also occurs. To a lesser extent, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a source country for women trafficked to France and Belgium on "entertainment visas" but then forced into commercial sexual exploitation to pay off debts.

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo does not comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government should increase its commitment to raising public awareness, providing better protection and assistance to victims, and step up law enforcement efforts, especially prosecutions, in areas under its control.

Prevention

The government participates in an international program to prevent children from becoming child soldiers and to combat child labor. It also conducts information campaigns on local radio and in local community meetings. Over the past year, the government held workshops to assist the reintegration of former child soldiers and other combatants into their home communities as part of its ongoing demobilization program currently enforced by the National Bureau for Demobilization and Reintegration. With NGOs, the government implements education programs for child soldiers, street children, and orphans and tries to improve educational opportunities for girls, a highly vulnerable group for trafficking. The Ministry of Family Affairs and Labor now implements its action plan against sexual exploitation in conjunction with an international organization.

Prosecution

The initial draft of the new constitution prohibits forced labor. In the meantime, the government uses statutes prohibiting slavery, forced labor, debauchery, and rape to prosecute traffickers. We have no information on prosecutions. In May 2002, the government filed a case in the International Court of Justice against Rwanda for forced conscription, abduction, and rape of Congolese citizens. The government is actively gathering testimonies from escaped abductees and former child soldiers to try war criminals.

Protection

Due to a lack of resources, the government conducts few victim protection efforts, instead relying heavily on non-governmental and international organizations. The government provides family tracing services, medical assistance, psychological rehabilitation, reintegration, and counseling for families accepting child soldiers. The government is willing to assist the repatriation of victims trafficked to Europe for commercial sexual exploitation, but no requests have been made.