New Delhi: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) unveiled its Global Trends Report: Forced Displacement in 2024 on June 12, 2025, painting a stark picture of a world grappling with unprecedented levels of displacement. An estimated 123.2 million individuals, or roughly one in every 67 people worldwide, are currently displaced due to conflicts, persecution, violence, human rights abuses, and natural disasters. This figure reflects a 6 percent rise—equivalent to 7 million more people—compared to the end of 2023, marking a troubling 13-year trend of continuous increases in global displacement. However, a slight dip to 122.1 million was recorded by April 2025, offering a glimmer of hope amid ongoing crises.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi described the global situation as one of “intense volatility,” with modern conflicts creating a “devastating landscape of human suffering.” He urged global leaders to intensify efforts toward peace and sustainable solutions for those forced to flee their homes.
Forced Displacement in Numbers
The 2024 report provides a detailed breakdown of the global displacement crisis:
- 73.5 million people are internally displaced persons (IDPs), forced to flee within their own countries due to violence or other crises. This represents a 6.3 million increase from 2023, with IDPs making up 60 percent of the total displaced population.
- 42.7 million are classified as refugees, a decrease of 613,600 from the previous year. This includes:
- 31 million under UNHCR’s mandate.
- 5.9 million Palestinian refugees under the mandate of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
- 5.9 million individuals requiring international protection.
- 8.4 million are asylum seekers, awaiting decisions on their protection claims in foreign countries, marking a 22 percent surge from 2023.
Notably, 40 percent of the displaced are children, highlighting the vulnerability of younger populations. More than one-third of the global displaced population hails from just four nations: Sudan (14.3 million), Syria (13.5 million), Afghanistan (10.3 million), and Ukraine (8.8 million).
Major Displacement Crises in 2024
Sudan’s Unprecedented Crisis
Sudan stands out as the epicenter of the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million people displaced by the end of 2024 due to the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces. This marks an increase of 3.5 million from the previous year, with 2.1 million Sudanese refugees, up by nearly 600,000.
Gaza’s Humanitarian Catastrophe
In Gaza, UNRWA reports that 90 percent of the population—over 2 million people—have been displaced due to Israel’s ongoing military operations. This mass displacement has deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine
The report notes a decline in the number of Afghan and Syrian refugees, alongside revised estimates for Ukrainian refugees. Key figures include:
- Syria: 13.5 million displaced, with 2 million returning home in 2024 despite ongoing instability.
- Afghanistan: 10.3 million displaced, with many returning to precarious conditions.
- Ukraine: 8.8 million displaced, with 6 million remaining displaced by the end of 2023 due to the war that erupted in 2022, one of the fastest-growing refugee crises since World War II.
Challenges of Forced Displacement
The ripple effects of forced displacement are profound, affecting both displaced individuals and host communities:
- Food Insecurity: Disrupted livelihoods, reliance on aid, and logistical hurdles in conflict zones or refugee camps leave millions at risk of hunger.
- Economic Strain: Host governments face significant increases in public spending to accommodate displaced populations, putting pressure on national budgets.
- Social Friction: Competition for limited resources, such as housing and jobs, often sparks tensions between displaced people and local communities.
- Job Losses: Shifts in labor and consumer markets disproportionately impact informal, low-skilled, young, and female workers in host countries, leading to unemployment or reduced wages.
Returns Amid Fragility
Despite the scale of displacement, some individuals returned home in 2024:
- 1.6 million refugees returned to their countries of origin, though many went back to unstable environments in Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, or Ukraine. UNHCR’s media head, Matthew Saltmarsh, cautioned that such returns are often “unsustainable” due to ongoing conflicts.
- 8.2 million IDPs returned to their home regions, with significant returns in:
- Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): 2.4 million.
- Myanmar: 378,000.
- Syria: 514,000.
- Ukraine: 782,000.
Notably, 90 percent of refugee and IDP returns were concentrated in eight countries: Afghanistan, DRC, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine. Grandi highlighted a positive development, noting that “nearly two million Syrians” have returned home after years of displacement, though he stressed the need for support to rebuild in a fragile context.
Historical Perspective
The roots of global displacement trace back to the 1951 Refugee Convention, established to protect refugees in post-World War II Europe. Expanded in 1967 to address worldwide displacement, the convention has guided responses to growing crisis:
- 1951: 2.1 million refugees globally.
- 1980: Refugee numbers exceeded 10 million due to conflicts in Afghanistan and Ethiopia.
- 1990: Numbers doubled to 20 million.
- 2001–2021: U.S.-led invasions in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003), combined with civil wars in South Sudan and Syria, pushed refugee numbers past 30 million by 2021.
- 2022: The Ukraine conflict triggered 5.7 million refugees in under a year.
- 2024: IDP numbers have doubled over the past decade, with a sharp rise since 2020.
Global Efforts to Address Displacement
Two key initiatives stand out in tackling forced displacement:
- Global Compact for Migration (2018): Endorsed by most UN member states, this non-binding framework seeks to improve international migration governance.
- Global Program on Forced Displacement (GPFD): Launched by the World Bank in 2009, this program strengthens global development responses to displacement.
UNHCR: A Legacy of Humanitarian Work
Founded in 1950 by the UN General Assembly, the UNHCR is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Its mission is to safeguard the rights of those forced to flee due to conflict or persecution and to foster better futures for them. The agency’s impactful work earned it the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981.
A Call for Global Action
The Global Trends Report 2024 serves as a sobering reminder of the scale and complexity of the global displacement crisis. Filippo Grandi called for renewed commitment, stating, “We must intensify efforts to secure peace and deliver lasting solutions for those displaced.” As conflicts persist and new crises emerge, the international community faces the urgent task of balancing humanitarian aid, development support, and peacebuilding to address this growing challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is forced displacement, and how many people were affected globally in 2024?
Forced displacement refers to individuals leaving their homes due to persecution, violence, human rights violations, conflicts, or disasters. According to the UNHCR’s Global Trends Report: Forced Displacement in 2024, 123.2 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by the end of 2024, equivalent to one in 67 people globally. This includes 73.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), 42.7 million refugees, and 8.4 million asylum seekers.
2. Which countries had the highest numbers of forcibly displaced people in 2024?
More than one-third of the global displaced population originated from four countries: Sudan (14.3 million), Syria (13.5 million), Afghanistan (10.3 million), and Ukraine (8.8 million). Sudan faced the world’s largest displacement crisis, driven by conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, while Gaza saw over 2 million people (90% of its population) displaced due to Israel’s ongoing assault.
3. What are the main challenges caused by forced displacement?
Forced displacement creates significant challenges, including:
Unemployment: Shifts in labor markets often lead to job losses, particularly for low-skilled, young, and female workers in host countries.
Food Insecurity: Disrupted livelihoods and reliance on aid leave displaced populations vulnerable to hunger.
Economic Strain: Host governments face increased public spending to support displaced people.
Social Tensions: Competition for scarce resources like housing and jobs can spark conflicts between displaced and host communities.
4. What progress was made in 2024 regarding returns of displaced people?
In 2024, 1.6 million refugees and 8.2 million IDPs returned to their home countries or areas of origin. However, many returned to fragile environments like Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, and Ukraine, where conditions remain unstable. Significant IDP returns were recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2.4 million), Myanmar (378,000), Syria (514,000), and Ukraine (782,000). Notably, nearly 2 million Syrians returned home, though ongoing support is needed to rebuild their lives.
5. What global initiatives are addressing forced displacement?
Two key initiatives include:
Global Program on Forced Displacement (GPFD): Launched by the World Bank in 2009 to strengthen development responses to displacement. Additionally, the UNHCR, established in 1950 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, continues to protect displaced people’s rights, earning Nobel Peace Prizes in 1954 and 1981.
Global Compact for Migration (2018): A non-binding UN framework adopted by most member states to improve international migration governance.
