The Hidden Impact of Conflict on Women and Children

Global Assistance for Women & Children Volunteers Gives Supplies to a Mother & Child

Conflict does not only disrupt governments or redraw borders, it reshapes families, futures, and entire generations. While headlines often focus on political instability and armed groups, the deepest and longest-lasting impact of conflict is felt by women and children.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, decades of instability have created widespread displacement, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare. For women, especially mothers, conflict often means carrying the responsibility of holding families together in the absence of safety, income, or consistent medical support. Access to prenatal care becomes limited. Safe childbirth becomes uncertain. Basic hygiene supplies become scarce.

Children face equally devastating consequences. When violence escalates, families are separated. Some children lose one or both parents. Others are displaced from their homes, schools, and communities. Without stable protection systems in place, many are left vulnerable to exploitation, malnutrition, and long-term trauma.

One of the most heartbreaking outcomes of conflict is the rise in orphaned children. When parents are lost due to violence, disease, or displacement-related hardship, children are often left without guardianship, financial support, or access to education. Their survival becomes uncertain — and their future even more fragile.

Food insecurity is another silent consequence. Conflict disrupts agriculture, supply chains, and local economies. Families who once provided for themselves suddenly struggle to access even basic nutrition. Malnutrition becomes common, particularly among young children and nursing mothers, weakening immune systems and increasing health risks.

Healthcare systems are also deeply affected. Clinics may lack medical supplies, trained staff, or consistent infrastructure. Women may give birth without proper support. Treatable conditions become life-threatening due to lack of access.

Yet even in these circumstances, resilience remains strong. Women continue to care for their families. Communities find ways to support one another. Local leaders step forward. The need is great — but so is the strength.

At Global Assistance for Women & Children, we focus on the realities behind the headlines. Our relief efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo are designed to address the immediate and long-term impact of conflict through:

• Emergency food assistance

• Maternal and medical care access

• Support for orphaned and vulnerable children

• Crisis relief for displaced families

Conflict may create instability, but it does not erase dignity. Every woman deserves safe care. Every child deserves protection and opportunity. By supporting communities at their most vulnerable, we aim to restore stability, strengthen families, and build pathways toward lasting hope.

When global support reaches local communities, transformation becomes possible.