In December of the previous year, the overthrow of the Assad regime by opposition forces reignited hope that many Syrians might be able to return home soon. As of May, 500,000 refugees and 1.2 million internally displaced individuals (IDPs) had returned to their areas of origin.
However, this is not the sole reason Syria is no longer the world’s largest displacement crisis.
Sudan Sets a Grim Record
Over two years of civil war in Sudan have seen the nation surpass Syria, with 14.3 million people displaced since April 2022. Out of these, 11.6 million are internally displaced – representing one-third of Sudan’s total population and marking the largest internal displacement crisis ever recorded.
The latest report from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) released on Wednesday highlights the immense scale of the problem, noting displacements at "untenably high" levels. Despite the immediate impact of aid cuts, the report also offers "rays of hope".
A Place to Live in Peace
By the end of 2024, 123.2 million people worldwide were displaced, marking a decade-high number, mainly due to prolonged conflicts in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
73.5 million people worldwide have fled within their own countries, and out of the 42.7 million refugees living beyond their borders, 73% are hosted in low and middle-income countries, with 67% hosted in neighboring countries.
Sadeqa and her son, like many others, have faced repeated displacement. Fleeing from Myanmar after her husband was killed, they initially lived in a Rohingya Muslim refugee camp in Bangladesh but were compelled to flee again due to overcrowding.
Now residing in Indonesia, Sadeqa searches for a place where they can live in peace.
‘Long-lasting Solutions’
While the return of 8.2 million IDPs represents the second-largest single-year tally on record, the report points out ongoing difficulties for returnees. Many of the Afghan and Haitian refugees who returned home in the past year were deported from their host countries.
The report stresses that returns must be voluntary and that the dignity and safety of the returner must be upheld, requiring long-term peace-building and broader sustainable development progress.
‘Brutal’ Funding Cuts
Over the last decade, the number of forcibly displaced individuals worldwide has doubled, but funding levels for UNHCR have remained largely unchanged. This lack of increased funding jeopardizes already vulnerable displaced communities and further destabilizes regional peace.
Source: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2025/06/1164256
