Geneva (TDI): The number of people forced to flee their homes due to war, violence, and persecution has hit a new record high of 122.1 million, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday, in its annual Global Trends Report.
The figure marks a continued rise for the twelfth straight year, driven by ongoing conflicts in countries like Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, and others. The agency called the situation “untenably high,” especially as humanitarian aid is falling short. Last year’s total stood at 120 million.
Sudan is now facing the largest displacement crisis in the world, with 14.3 million people displaced. It has now surpassed Syria (13.5 million), Afghanistan (10.3 million), and Ukraine (8.8 million).
NEWS: #GlobalTrends is out!
▪️Number of people forced to flee is at 122.1 million.
▪️Main drivers are large conflicts like Sudan, Myanmar & Ukraine.
▪️Funding faces brutal cuts.Rays of hope: ~2 million Syrians have been able to return home.
ℹ️ https://t.co/hC30WvMwHj pic.twitter.com/2hcZXpapq8
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) June 12, 2025
“We are living in a time of intense volatility … marked by acute human suffering. We must redouble our efforts to search for peace and find long-lasting solutions,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.
The report noted that most people fleeing conflict are not crossing international borders. Around 60% remain within their own countries, while 67% of refugees are staying in neighboring states. Low and middle income countries continue to host 73% of the world’s refugee population.
By the end of 2024, there were 73.5 million internally displaced people worldwide, along with 42.7 million refugees.
The report also noted some positive developments. In 2024, 9.8 million people were able to return home — including 1.6 million refugees and 8.2 million internally displaced people — the highest return figure in more than 20 years.
Read More: 1.3M Afghan Refugees Repatriated: NA Told
“Nearly two million Syrians have been able to return home after over a decade uprooted,” said Grandi. But he warned that many of these returns happened under fragile and difficult conditions.
The agency said more investment is urgently needed to help those returning, as well as the communities receiving them. Humanitarian efforts, according to the report, remain underfunded and overstretched.
UNHCR also reported that while the global gender gap in displacement remains, the need for safe and voluntary return options continues to grow.
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