The United Nations expresses concern over a record high number of displaced individuals.
Around 120 million individuals globally were forced to abandon their homes due to conflicts, as per UN estimates. This figure marks the highest number of displaced individuals in history. Ongoing as well as fresh conflicts have been the key contributors to this rising trend, for the twelfth successive year, as per the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) based in Geneva.
The drastic surge in displaced people around the world is a horrifying reflection of our planet's current state. At the close of 2023, the UNHCR had documented 117.3 million displaced people, which is expected to have increased to 120 million by the end of April. To put this into perspective, that's more people than Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Netherlands combined.
Sudan has witnessed one of the most significant spikes in displaced individuals due to an ongoing power struggle between two generals since April 2023. This conflict has driven over 7.1 million citizens within the third-largest country in Africa to leave their homes, while an additional 1.9 million have fled to other countries. By the end of 2022, 10.8 million Sudanese individuals had been displaced.
Similarly, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar have experienced immense internal displacement caused by intense fighting. Human rights activists from these nations have voiced grave concerns, warning of a potential genocide in these regions.
Majority of displaced people remain within their own countries
The UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) estimates that approximately 1.7 million people in Gaza have been displaced due to the war between Israel and Hamas, making up about 75% of the entire population in Gaza. The Syrian war, meanwhile, remains the most significant displacement crisis in the world, with an estimated 13.8 million people being displaced within and outside the country.
Filippo Grandi, the UN Refugee Commissioner, emphasized the significant human toll behind these escalating numbers: "This suffering demands immediate intervention by the global community. All parties involved in conflicts must observe and respect the fundamental principles of the laws of war and international law. Without greater cooperation and collective efforts to solve disputes, human rights violations, and the climate crisis, displacement numbers will only continue to soar, resulting in more suffering and exorbitant humanitarian costs."
The UNHCR observed that the greatest increase has come from internally displaced individuals who number around 68.3 million, which translates to a 50% increase over the past five years.
The number of refugees and those in need of international protection increased to 43.4 million, the report showed. The majority of refugees seek shelter in neighboring countries of their home countries, while a staggering 75% of all displaced individuals seek refuge in low- and middle-income nations, which together only account for 20% of the global income.
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The Syrian conflict continues to be the world's largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 13.8 million individuals displaced both within and outside the country, as highlighted by UNHCR. Moreover, refugees from Syria seek shelter primarily in neighboring countries, reflecting the trend of most displaced individuals seeking refuge in low- and middle-income nations, which make up only 20% of global income. Additionally, the UNHCR noted that conflict in the Gaza Strip, specifically the war between Israel and Hamas, has led to the displacement of approximately 1.7 million people, accounting for 75% of the region's population.
