With a population of 66 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is considered the third largest country in Africa. It is still reeling from decades of dictatorship and ongoing armed conflicts between government and rebel forces. The eastern provinces bordering Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi are particularly affected by the struggle over political power and natural resources, which include gold, diamonds, and precious metals.

Since 1998, armed conflicts, famine, and diseases have caused the death of 5.4 million people. Over 2 million Congolese have been expelled from their homes and villages, and live in refugee camps or with host families. The systematic use of sexual violence by all parties involved in the conflict has been a particularly horrific trademark of the war. Hundreds of thousands of Congolese women, children, and men have been victims of rape and sexual abuse.

Only very few Congolese have access to proper medical care, and a large portion of the population in the eastern part of the country is malnourished, because ongoing fighting inhibits cultivation of the land. Diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, cholera, and measles continue to kill many, every sixth child dies under the age of five, and the average life expectancy is only 46 years.