Haut‑Katanga faces pressure to address urban child vulnerability

Nearly 3,500 children with no family ties are now living on the streets of Lubumbashi, the provincial capital of Haut‑Katanga, according to young activists who submitted a memorandum to the governor’s office. The memorandum describes precarious living conditions for these children and calls for urgent government action; Radio Okapi first reported the appeal.

The activists urge the provincial government to build more shelters and ensure that street children receive social support and access to medical care. They also recommend involving police in managing the issue through arrest, deterrence and persuasion. In their view, the growing number of children living on the streets is a driver of aggression, theft and threats against citizens.

Their proposals are based on a three‑year study conducted with the Provincial Gender Division and UNICEF, which identified nearly 3,500 affected children. The call for action comes as authorities have been trying to register and reintegrate street children; last April, provincial ministers launched “Ndobo,” an operation to identify children living without their families and orient them toward appropriate shelters.

Police rounded up children in Lubumbashi, and officials assured them that the aim was to provide care. Many children were taken to the Lukuni centre about 50 km from the city, but officials admit that some run away and return to the streets.

Broader efforts show that child protection in the Democratic Republic of Congo requires sustained investment. In Kinshasa, for example, MONUSCO’s child protection section recently rehabilitated a shelter for children without family support, adding rooms, showers, a kitchen and a dining area. During the handover ceremony, MONUSCO officials stressed that safeguarding children is a collective responsibility and that a country’s future rests on its youth.

Within Haut‑Katanga, hundreds of suspected juvenile delinquents from Lubumbashi were transferred to the National Service in Kanyama Kasese for vocational training, underscoring the authorities’ attempts to rehabilitate vulnerable youth.

As the number of street children rises, pressure is mounting on the Haut‑Katanga government to coordinate with community organisations, police and international partners to provide safe shelter, education and social reintegration. The memorandum submitted by youth activists has brought renewed attention to urban child vulnerability and the need for long‑term solutions