Washington and Doha: What Role for Child Protection in the DRC Negotiations?

In 2025, the DRC recorded 4,114 serious violations against children, ranking second globally after Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The Washington process mainly focuses on security commitments between the DRC and Rwanda, with limited attention to child protection, such as combating child labor in artisanal mining. The Doha process, involving the Congolese government and AFC/M23, includes more explicit provisions for civilian protection but lacks specific measures for grave violations like child recruitment and sexual violence. The UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict urges integrating child protection into peace processes and supporting their reintegration, but ongoing violations in 2025 raise concerns about the effective implementation of these commitments.