The Democratic Republic of Congo unfortunately endured genocide for many years and continues to face such challenges today. “Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC; Congo) has been embroiled in violence that has killed as many as 6 million people” (1). The DRC is constantly in turmoil through human rights, political debates, and outside groups and terrorists attacking. With a history of violence, the DRC is considered dangerous to visit or travel to due to “civil unrest and crime” (2). Civilians of East and South Africa tend to stay away from the DRC to stay safe and prevent the influx of outsiders. 
The violence in DRC is related to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda where inflexible militant Hutus, known as the Interhamwe, slaughtered ethnic Tutsis and politically moderate Hutus. Genocide is defined as “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group to destroy that nation or group,” a tragic occurrence repeatedly witnessed in this country.
Equally horrifying is that of the above 6 million people who perished, over half were children under the age of 5 due to famine and disease. Diseases run rampant through the desert and jungles due to dirty water and people living in extremely close quarters. As well as killing, the DRC has some of the most prevalent levels of rape and sexual violence in the world. “As of 2023, DRC is home to an estimated 5.7 million internally displaced people urgently needing more than 2 billion dollars in medical and other aid. Nearly one million Congolese nationals have sought refuge in various African states”.
In summary, civilians of the DRC are actively advocating for peace and human rights, yet they continue to bear the consequences of genocide.