Supporting Community-Based Protection in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and left more than seven million people displaced. Meanwhile, the U.N. mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, is in the process of withdrawing, which alters the protection environment as communities are unable to rely on the physical protection that the mission at times provided.

In this context, civilians have taken steps to protect themselves, such as negotiating and mediating conflict with armed actors and training women and girls on identifying and mitigating protection risks.

However, there is a pressing need to better understand and support these community-based protection mechanisms that are crucial for so many experiencing violence and displacement. This includes Security Council Members, donors, and humanitarian actors understanding linkages between community-based protection mechanisms and the community representatives interfacing with MONUSCO.

What is Community-Based Protection?

Community-based protection focuses on strengthening the capacities and agency of crisis-affected communities to protect themselves. This approach encourages communities to self-organize and employ self-protection strategies, emphasizing the active leadership and participation of community members in the design, implementation, and evaluation of protection interventions.

Community-Based Protection in the DRC

Community-based protection has long been ingrained in the DRC as Congolese communities have worked to create and carry out their own strategies to protect themselves and their families. These mechanisms take many forms, each with different compositions and aims. These include protection monitors from the community who work with humanitarian organizations to identify and report threats; community watch groups that alert authorities on security incidents; and community members, designated as “agents de changement,” who spread awareness messaging on safety and well-being. Some committees are made up of local leaders or elders to mediate conflicts and promote reconciliation while others focus on protecting women and children from abuse and exploitation.

Local and international organizations in the DRC have developed and invested in these approaches that enhance the protective environment.

Transitional Environment with MONUSCO Withdrawal

The protection of civilians is a strategic priority of the mandate of the U.N. mission in the DRC. Within MONUSCO’s Civil Affairs Unit sit Community Liaison Assistants (CLAs), who are national staff that serve as interlocutors between communities, local authorities, and the mission. The CLAs have worked to identify protection risks to civilians, elevate local priorities in community protection plans, and manage early warning systems (EWS).

However, with MONUSCO’s withdrawal from South Kivu in April 2024 and planned withdrawal from North Kivu and Ituri pending the security situation, the future of the CLAs is put into question. Who will maintain the EWS, and which body communities will report their protection concerns to, has yet to be decided. Additionally, there is no strategic plan to transfer the knowledge, expertise, and trust that were developed between CLAs and communities.

Some organizations advocate for a full investment in communities to strengthen their own self-protection mechanisms. Many humanitarian and peacebuilding actors are training civil society and community leaders to ensure they are equipped with adequate knowledge of international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights to negotiate with armed forces. Others are working with communities and government authorities to ensure ownership and integration of EWS and protection plans into local structures.

There is thus a necessity for donors and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to invest in community-based protection mechanisms that not only fill a gap in alert systems and reporting, but also serve as a bridge between communities and local authorities. Further there is an immediate need for planning around MONUSCO’s withdrawal from North Kivu and Ituri to determine how to best transfer knowledge to CLAs in their handovers.

Recommendations

Several recommendations came through these findings:

Security Council Members:

• Center unarmed, community, and civilian-based protection in the MONUSCO mandate renewal and recognize the role that community self-protection approaches play in the transitional environment.
• Advocate for transparent, planned, and inclusive processes around handover of CLAs to government and community bodies.

Donors:

• Provide more direct, flexible, and quality funding to local protection actors and groups involved in community-based protection through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms.
• Invest in tools or materials that address gaps in the functioning of EWS and support basic security measures, such as phones or walkie-talkies.

MONUSCO:

• Advocate for the Government of DRC to put forth a systematic plan to support and transfer knowledge and skills of CLAs to communities.
• Coordinate with NGOs on placement of former CLAs in South Kivu and in advance of the withdrawal in North Kivu and Ituri.

Please click HERE to read the full policy brief in English. Please click HERE to access the French version.