On World Refugee Day, the United Nations said that a record 110 million people worldwide are now forcibly displaced, as a result of conflicts, violence, persecution and human rights violations.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) released its annual Global Trends report on Friday, which showed that the number of refugees, asylum-seekers and internally displaced people increased by 10 million in 2020, despite the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions on movements.
The report said that 82.4 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2020, up from 79.5 million in 2019. This is the ninth consecutive year of rising displacement figures, and the highest number ever recorded by UNHCR.
The majority of the displaced people – 48 million – were internally displaced within their own countries, while 26.4 million were refugees who fled across borders. Another 4.1 million were asylum-seekers waiting for their claims to be processed, and 3.9 million were Venezuelans displaced abroad.
The report also said that 20.7 million people were under UNHCR’s mandate, while 5.7 million were Palestinian refugees registered by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The main countries of origin of refugees were Syria (6.7 million), Venezuela (4 million), Afghanistan (2.6 million), South Sudan (2.2 million) and Myanmar (1.1 million). The main countries hosting refugees were Turkey (3.7 million), Colombia (1.7 million), Pakistan (1.4 million), Uganda (1.4 million) and Germany (1.2 million).
The report also highlighted the impact of Covid-19 on the lives and rights of displaced people, who faced increased risks of infection, loss of livelihoods, food insecurity, mental distress and gender-based violence.
“Behind each number is a person forced from their home and a story of displacement, dispossession and suffering,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in a statement.
“They merit our attention and support not just with humanitarian aid, but in finding solutions to their plight.”
Grandi called on the international community to redouble its efforts to prevent and end conflicts, address the root causes of displacement, uphold human rights and support humanitarian agencies.
He also urged countries to show solidarity with refugees and displaced people by sharing responsibility for their protection and solutions, such as resettlement, family reunification, education and employment opportunities.
“While the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Global Compact on Refugees provide the legal framework and tools to respond to displacement, we need much greater political will to address conflicts and persecution that force people to flee in the first place,” he said.
