The Government has announced €1 million euro in funding to tackle violence against women and girls during conflicts or natural disasters.

Minister for Trade and Development Joe Costello, T.D, announcing the aid, said rape is often used in emergency and conflict situations to terrorise the population, break up families and destroy communities.

"Almost without exception, there is an increase in gender-based-violence during and after natural and man-made disasters and crises", he said.

The UN estimates that at least 200,000 women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have been the victim of rape since 1998.

The funding is being provided to the International Rescue Committee from Irish Aid’s Emergency and Recovery budget.