North Kivu: MSF denounces FRN restrictions hindering care for victims of sexual violence

Médecins Sans Frontières denounces restrictions imposed since early 2026 by the de facto authorities of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), formerly AFC/M23, on care for victims of sexual violence in North Kivu. The measures include requiring survivors to report assaults to police before receiving care, intrusive examinations, a 72-hour access limit, and forms demanding personal information about survivors and alleged perpetrators. MSF says the requirements violate medical confidentiality and reports that some patients were questioned or threatened to deter them from visiting facilities supported by humanitarian organizations. At some MSF-supported health facilities, consultations for sexual violence fell by 41% in August 2026 compared with January.