This archive report was first published on 27 June 2020.
On June 25, 2019, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, sounded the alarm on a growing global crisis: a record 79.5 million people were forced out of their homes in 2019.
According to the Global Trends Report, this number represents one in every 97 people on the planet, with developing countries hosting 85% of those displaced.
The report highlights the devastating impact of war, violence, and humanitarian emergencies on communities worldwide. In 2019, 8.7 million people were newly displaced, with children making up 30-34 million of the refugees.
Speaking in Geneva, Grandi noted that while the issue of displacement affects all nations, it is poorer countries that bear the brunt of the crisis. He emphasized that the issue is not about richer countries being targeted, but rather about the challenges faced by poorer countries in hosting refugees.
Some of the regions most affected by mass displacement include South Sudan, Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burkina Faso, the wider Sahel, and Syria after nearly a decade of civil war.
Grandi also highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of displacement, citing the example of Syria, where a decade-long civil war has led to a significant portion of global forced displacement.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN refugee agency has reported an increase in the number of Rohingya refugees moving from Bangladesh and Myanmar towards Malaysia and other states in South East Asia.
