Chapter 1 + EXPLORE THE DATA + Demographics of forcibly displaced CHAPTER 1 Global forced displacement The search for peace must be at the heart of all efforts to find longlasting solutions for refugees and others forced to flee their homes. Filippo Grandi UN High Commissioner for Refugees Overview The number of people forced to flee persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and events seriously disturbing public order rose in 2024, reaching a record 123.2 million. This is an increase of 7 million people or 6 per cent compared to the end of 2023. One in 67 people globally were forcibly displaced at the end of 2024. Slightly more than onethird of all forcibly displaced people globally were Sudanese (14.3 million), Syrian (13.5 million), Afghan (10.3 million) or Ukrainian (8.8 million). During 2024, millions of people were displaced, including an estimated 20.1 million within their own country15 and 5.4 million as refugees and asylumseekers. Over the last decade, the number of forcibly displaced people has almost doubled. However, the rate of increase in the number of people forcibly displaced slowed in the second half of 2024. As shown in figure 1, while there was an estimated increase of 5.2 million forcibly displaced people in the first half of 2024, the increase in the second half of the year dropped to only a third of that, 1.7 million. Operational data and initial estimates for 2025 indicate that global forced displacement may begin to fall during 2025. By the end of April 2025, UNHCR estimates that total forced displacement globally has fallen slightly by 1 per cent to 122.1 million.16 During the remainder of 2025, much will depend on the dynamics in key situations. This includes whether peace, or at least a cessation in fighting, is possible to achieve, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Ukraine; whether the situation in South Sudan does not deteriorate further; whether conditions for return improve, in particular in Afghanistan and Syria; and how dire the impact of the current funding cuts will be on the capacity to address forced displacement situations around the world and create conducive conditions for a safe and dignified return.17 15 Source: Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025, IDMC. There were 65.8 million new displacements in total during 2024, including 20.1 displacements due to conflict and violence and 45.8 million due to disasters. See also IDMC’s video on measuring internal displacement. 16 This estimates includes nowcasted figures for refugees under UNHCR’s mandate and asylum-seekers as of the end of April 2025. Other people in need of international protection are as reported by UNHCR at end-2024. The estimate of internal displacement is calculated using IDMC’s end-2024 figure (73.5 million people) as a base and then reflecting changes in the statistics for ten of the largest displacement situations for which operational data is available at the end of April 2025. Note also that IDMC’s historical statistics have been retroactively updated and include approximately 1 million fewer people than previously reported. Palestine refugees under UNRWA’s mandate are as reported by UNRWA at end-March 2025. 17 See UNHCR: Funding crunch increases risks of violence, danger and death for refugees, UNHCR. 6 UNHCR > GLOBAL TRENDS 2024