Addressing the impact of conflict and the humanitarian health challenges in the Eastern Regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 2021-2025: A feminist perspective

Helen Chapanyi Folefac ORCID iD

Issue: Vol. 7 No.1  2026 Article 24 pp.311 – 325
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267124| Published online 27th February 2026

© 2026 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a complex humanitarian crisis with significant health implications. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the cascade of humanitarian challenges in eastern DRC, stemming from decades of prolonged armed conflict. A qualitative research method was used to investigate challenges faced by humanitarian workers in the North and South Kivu regions of the DRC. This study employs a Feminist Political Economy of Health and the Responsibility to Protect framework to address the humanitarian challenges in Eastern. The findings revealed that the Armed conflict has devastated millions of lives, disrupted health systems, displaced populations, and led to food insecurity and human rights abuse, including sexual and gender-based violence. Therefore, the study recommends a holistic approach that effectively addresses these humanitarian challenges. This study deepens understanding of the difficulties that humanitarians face in delivering services in conflict zones.

Keywords: Humanitarian, Conflict, Health, Gender, Feminism, and Democratic Republic of Congo

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Dr. Helen Chapanyi Folefac is a researcher and author affiliated with the University of Johannesburg’s Department of Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, known for her work on African security, peacekeeping, and the Cameroonian Anglophone conflict, publishing studies on topics like youth education, conflict impact, Gender and Implications of Arm Conflicts in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, and South Africa’s AU peacekeeping role.

Folefac, Helen Chapanyi. “Addressing the Impact of Conflict and the Humanitarian Health Challenges in the Eastern Regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) 2021-2025: A Feminist Perspective.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.1 (2026): 311 – 325 https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267124

© 2026 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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