Today's Edition
GENEVA (WAM)
Forced displacement surged to historic new levels across the globe in 2023 and 2024, according to a UN report.
The 2024 flagship Global Trends Report from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, said the rise in overall forced displacement - to 120 million by May 2024 - was the 12th consecutive annual increase and reflected both new and mutating conflicts and a failure to resolve long-standing crises.
Approximately 1.7 million people in Gaza (75% of the population) have been displaced due to catastrophic violence, most of whom were Palestinian refugees, according to UNRWA estimates.
Syria remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 13.8 million forcibly displaced inside and outside the country.
“Behind these stark and rising numbers lie countless human tragedies. That suffering must galvanise the international community to act urgently to tackle the root causes of forced displacement,” said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
“It is high time for warring parties to respect the basic laws of war and international law. The fact is that without better cooperation and concerted efforts to address conflict, human rights violations and the climate crisis, displacement figures will keep rising, bringing fresh misery and costly humanitarian responses,” Grandi warned.
The largest increase in displacement figures came from people fleeing conflict who remain in their own country, rising to 68.3 million people according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre - up almost 50% over five years.
The number of refugees under UNHCR and UNRWA’s mandates, and others in need of international protection, climbed to 43.4 million. The vast majority of refugees are hosted in neighbouring countries, with 75% residing in low- and middle-income countries that together produce less than 20% of the world’s income.
The report showed that worldwide, more than 5 million internally displaced people and 1 million refugees returned home in 2023. These figures show some progress towards longer-term solutions. Positively, resettlement arrivals increased to almost 160,000 in 2023.
“Refugees - and the communities hosting them - need solidarity and a helping hand. They can and do contribute to societies when they are included,” Grandi added. “Equally, last year millions of people returned home, representing an important glimmer of hope. Solutions are out there - we’ve seen countries like Kenya lead the way in refugee inclusion - but it takes real commitment.”
The report also offered a new analysis of the climate crisis and how it increasingly and disproportionately affects forcibly displaced people.
