UNHCR: Global Displacement Reaches Record 122 Million

UNHCR/Shawkat Alharfoush

Syrian refugees Batool, 9, and her brother Abdulaziz, 7, in the Zaatari refugee camp, Jordan.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced on Thursday that the global number of people forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, and persecution has reached unprecedented levels, especially as humanitarian funding diminishes. The only hopeful sign is a rise in voluntary returns, notably to Syria.

According to UNHCR’s annual Global Trends report published today, “the number of forcibly displaced individuals reached 122.1 million by the end of April 2025, up from 120 million at the same point last year, marking nearly a decade of continual increases in refugees and others forced from their homes. Ongoing conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine remain key drivers of displacement, alongside the persistent failure to end the hostilities.”

“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. "We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes.”

The forcibly displaced include those uprooted within their own countries due to conflict — a figure which rose sharply by 6.3 million to 73.5 million by the end of 2024 — as well as refugees who have fled abroad, totalling 42.7 million. Sudan now has the largest displaced population worldwide, with 14.3 million refugees and internally displaced persons, surpassing Syria’s 13.5 million, followed by Afghanistan with 10.3 million and Ukraine with 8.8 million.

The report highlights that, contrary to common assumptions in wealthier nations, 67% of refugees live in neighbouring countries, with low- and middle-income countries hosting 73% of the world’s refugees. Indeed, 60% of those forced to flee have never crossed their national borders.

While the forcibly displaced population has almost doubled in the past ten years, UNHCR’s funding remains roughly at the same level as in 2015, despite severe and ongoing cuts to humanitarian aid. This has created an extremely challenging situation for UNHCR, rendering refugees and displaced persons even more vulnerable.

“Even amid the devastating cuts, we have seen some rays of hope over the last six months,” Grandi added. “Nearly 2 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.”

In 2024, a total of 9.8 million displaced people returned to their places of origin, including 1.6 million refugees — the highest number in more than twenty years — and 8.2 million internally displaced persons, representing the second-highest figure on record.

However, many returns have taken place in difficult political or security circumstances. For instance, a large number of Afghans were compelled to return in 2024 under harsh conditions. Meanwhile, countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, and South Sudan witnessed new waves of large-scale displacement alongside ongoing refugee and IDP returns.

The report calls for sustained funding of UNHCR’s vital programmes, support for refugees and internally displaced people in returning home, and investment in strengthening basic infrastructure and social services in host communities — measures deemed essential for regional and global security.



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