UN Raises Alarm as Global Displacement Hits Unprecedented Peak
(MENAFN) More than 122 million people are currently uprooted worldwide, forced to escape conflicts they did not initiate and climate disasters they did not create, only to face tightening borders, shrinking humanitarian aid, and weakening global protection commitments, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
“No one wants to be a refugee,” said Eujin Byun, a spokesperson for UNHCR, highlighting the human toll behind the staggering numbers. The latest figures, revealed on World Refugee Day, show that displacement has surged to double the levels seen in 2015, reaching an unprecedented high.
Byun emphasized the personal stories behind the statistics: “Behind those numbers are people who could be your mother, your child. This is not their fault.” She added, “The world is a more difficult place for people to stay in their homes safely.”
The crisis is far from abating. A predictive model, powered by artificial intelligence and developed jointly by the Danish Refugee Council and IBM, forecasts that an additional 6.7 million individuals will be displaced over the next two years. Countries expected to see rising displacement include Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Venezuela.
“We live in an age of war and impunity, and civilians are paying the heaviest price,” said Nirvana Shawky from the Danish Refugee Council, underscoring the growing humanitarian cost of ongoing conflicts.
At the same time, the worsening crisis collides with a steep decline in political support and financial backing for refugee assistance. Humanitarian organizations warn that vital services such as education and healthcare are increasingly at risk.
Byun described the critical funding shortfall at UNHCR, explaining that the agency is forced to make “difficult” decisions, focusing on immediate survival needs while sacrificing long-term support programs. This means millions of children could be denied education, and countless families might lose access to essential healthcare.
The Danish Refugee Council recently announced the loss of its second-largest donor, a development that is forcing the organization to cease operations in six countries and disrupt aid for 1.5 million displaced individuals. Despite this setback, it will continue working in 28 other nations.
Overall, the council estimates that cuts in global funding will leave around 101.5 million people without any assistance this year, deepening the already dire humanitarian crisis.
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