Wars and violence have forced the displacement of an estimated 114 million people worldwide by the end of September 2023.
The number of people displaced by war, persecution, violence and human rights violations worldwide is likely to have exceeded 114 million at the end of September, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees announced today.
The main drivers of forced displacement in the first half of 2023 were: the war in Ukraine and conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Myanmar, the combination of drought, floods and insecurity in Somalia and the protracted humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, according to UNHCR Semester Trends Report, which analyzes the phenomenon of forced displacement during the first six months of this year.
"The world's attention is now focused – rightly so – on the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. But globally, too many conflicts are multiplying or escalating, shattering innocent lives and uprooting people," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. "The inability of the international community to resolve conflicts or prevent new ones leads to uprooting and misery. We need to ask ourselves what we can do and work together to end the conflict and allow refugees and other displaced people to return to their homes or start their lives again somewhere else.”
According to the Report, by the end of June, 110 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide, an increase of 1,6 million from the end of 2022. More than half of the people forced to uproot never cross international borders. UNHCR estimates that in the three months from June to the end of September, the number of forcibly displaced people rose by 4 million, bringing the total number to 114 million. The conflict in the Middle East broke out on October 7, a period not covered by this Report, so it does not include the consequences of that conflict in terms of violent displacement.
"As we watch developments in Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere, the prospect of peace and finding solutions for refugees and other displaced populations may seem distant," Mr Grandi added. "But we can't give up. With our partners, we will continue to press for – and find – solutions for refugees."
Low- and middle-income countries hosted 75% of refugees and other persons in need of international protection. Globally, 1,6 million new individual asylum applications were submitted in the first half of the year, the highest number ever recorded.
Just over 404.000 refugee returns were recorded, more than double the number in the same period in 2022, although many of them were not in safe conditions. Nearly 2,7 million internally displaced people returned home during the same period, more than double those who returned in the first half of 2022. The number of refugees resettled increased.
The Report is published today ahead of the second Global Refugee Forum (GRF), the largest global gathering for refugees and other forcibly displaced populations, to be held in Geneva from 13 to 15 December. Governments, refugees, local authorities, international organizations, civil society and the private sector will come together to strengthen the global response and seek solutions to record levels of displaced populations.
source https://www.unhcr.org/
photo https://www.lemonde.fr/ / https://www.unhcr.org/
