UN reports record 130 million people displaced worldwide

UNHCR data released for World Refugee Day show that at the end of 2025 a total of 129.4 million people were forcibly displaced or stateless, the highest level ever recorded. The figure includes 41.6 million refugees who have crossed international borders, 68.7 million internally displaced persons and roughly 45 million children.

Funding for humanitarian operations fell by 22 % in 2025, with UNHCR expenditures dropping to $3.83 billion, widening the gap between rising needs and shrinking resources. The agency called for a shift from managing crises to preventing displacement and creating durable solutions.

In the same year, an unprecedented 15 million displaced people returned home, driven by improved security in places such as Syria and Afghanistan after the removal of the Assad regime in December 2024. About 1.3 million Syrians returned from abroad and 2 million internally displaced persons, cutting the Syrian refugee population to 4.9 million. Returnees face challenges of housing, employment and health services, prompting calls for sustainable reintegration programs.

The crisis remains acute across Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and the Sahel, where conflict, food insecurity and climate shocks continue to force mass movements.