'All Eyes On Congo': Social Media Shifts Focus From Rafah To Congo's Humanitarian Crisis

After the “All eyes on Rafah” trend spread like wildfire on the internet, a new trend called “All eyes on Congo” has surged on social media, raising awareness about the crisis-marred Central African country. Hundreds of users are sharing videos and photos to raise awareness about the longstanding violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In the DRC, conflict has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with over six million deaths and displaced individuals. The country’s cobalt production, vital for technology, has fueled conflict among rebel groups vying for control of mines. Reports by UN agencies reveal large-scale atrocities, including sexual slavery and child soldier recruitment.

“All eyes on Congo”

Clashes over land in the province of Tshopo in Congo’s northeast have resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians since the end of April, according to the United Nations. More than 740 civilians have been killed and over 75,000 people displaced in the town of Kisangani due to clashes over land since February 2023. The DRC is paying too high a price, due to an unabating armed conflict, particularly in the eastern part of the country. This situation has been alarmingly worsening since 2023, transforming the country’s protection crisis into one of the gravest worldwide.

Viral campaigns like “All eyes on Congo” aim to garner global attention, potentially spurring actions to address the ongoing violence. English football player Yannick Bolasie joined in, urging support for Congo. This new social media movement comes as an image ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ campaign on the Gaza war was shared 47 million on Instagram. UK-based journalist Josh Rom slammed the post’s creators as ‘social justice hypocrites,’ questioning why attention isn’t directed towards Hezbollah, Ukraine, and the Congo.

READ MORE: Overview of the humanitarian response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In 2024, more than 25.4 million people – a quarter of the population – require assistance, with the most urgent humanitarian needs concentrated in the eastern provinces, severely hit by violence and insecurity. Until 31 December 2023, more than 9.6 million people were on the move in DRC, including 6.5 million internally displaced persons, 2.6 million returnees and 527,000 refugees, making the displacement crisis in the country one of the largest in the world and second-only to Sudan.

Epidemics are significantly spread, particularly cholera with 50,000 suspected cases and 470 deaths recorded in 2023 – the worst situation since 2017. Measles transmission more than doubled in 2023, exceeding 320,000 cases (versus 146,000 in 2022), while deaths caused by measles tripled, from 1,800 in 2022 to over 6,000 in 2023. Climate shocks are worsening vulnerable people’s living conditions, with heavy rains and river flooding affecting some 2.1 million Congolese and leaving 300 others dead, just between mid-November 2023 and January 2024.