The number of people displaced by war, violence and persecution worldwide has reached an unsustainable high, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said in its annual Global Trends Report released today (June 12).
A press release was issued in this regard which also warned that the crisis is worsening amid dwindling humanitarian aid.
By the end of April 2025, the number of forcibly displaced people had risen to 122.1 million, up from 120 million a year earlier. This marks nearly a decade of continuous increases in the number of refugees and others forced to flee their homes. The main causes remain large-scale conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar and Ukraine, and the ongoing failure to halt the fighting.
“We are living in a time of intense volatility in international relations, with modern warfare creating a fragile, harrowing landscape marked by acute human suffering,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Afghanistan. UNHCR builds new shelters in Herat province: Photo by UNHCR
He said, “We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.”
The total includes 73.5 million people displaced within their own countries due to conflict—a sharp increase of 6.3 million from the previous year—and 42.7 million refugees who have crossed borders. Sudan has now overtaken Syria as the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), followed by Syria with 13.5 million, Afghanistan with 10.3 million and Ukraine with 8.8 million.
Despite common assumptions in wealthier regions, 67 per cent of refugees remain in neighbouring countries, while low- and middle-income countries host 73 per cent of the world’s refugees. In fact, 60 per cent of people who flee never leave their own country.
Syria. Thousands of people fleeing Israeli airstrikes arrive from Lebanon: Photo by UNHCR
Grandi said while the number of forcibly displaced people has nearly doubled over the past decade, UNHCR’s funding levels remain roughly the same as in 2015. This, combined with deep cuts in humanitarian assistance, is leaving vulnerable populations at even greater risk.
“Even amid the devastating cuts, we have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” Grandi said.
“Nearly two million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted. The country remains fragile and people need our help to rebuild their lives again,” he added
Syria. Thousands of Syrian refugees cross Lebanon-Syria border points: Photo by UNHCR
In total, 9.8 million forcibly displaced people returned home in 2024. This includes 1.6 million refugees—the highest number in over 20 years—and 8.2 million IDPs, the second-highest figure ever recorded.
However, many of these returns occurred under difficult conditions. A large number of Afghans were forced to return home in 2024, arriving in desperate circumstances. Similarly, countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar and South Sudan saw significant new displacements even as others returned.
The report calls for continued funding of UNHCR programmes that save lives, support the reintegration of returning refugees and IDPs, and strengthen infrastructure and services in host communities. The agency warned that such support is essential not only for humanitarian reasons but also as an investment in regional and global stability.
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