Number of displaced persons almost doubled in ten years to 122.1 million people

In ten years, the number of people who are fleeing a conflict has almost doubled. In April 2025, the highlight was reached: 122.1 million people who fled their hometown for war, violence and persecution. UN refugee organization UNHCR reports this in a report published Thursday.

The organization mentions the number of « untenably high, especially now that humanitarian financing dries up ». The UNHCR attributes the high number to a number of major conflicts: those in Sudan (14.3 million refugees and domestic displaced persons), Syria (13.5 million), Afghanistan (10.3 million) and Ukraine (8.8 million).

The largest number of displaced persons is not taken care of in rich countries, but precisely in low and middle income countries, says the report. 73 percent flee to non -rich countries, and together the least developed countries collect a quarter of the displaced persons. 67 percent of people who flee their country go to a neighboring country.

What UNHCR calls ‘a bright spot’ is the return of refugees to Syria, after the fall of the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad in December. In mid -May, around 500,000 people who previously fled the country had returned to it, most of whom from neighboring countries. People who fled within the country also return: 1.2 million of them are back in their old hometown.

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