The United Nations (UN) revealed a staggering statistic on Thursday, stating that a total of 120 million people are currently living as forcibly displaced individuals due to war, violence, and persecution.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) emphasized that this ever-increasing number serves as a "terrible indictment on the state of the world."
According to the report, forced displacement globally has once again broken records, with conflicts in regions like Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar compelling even more people to flee their homes. The global displaced population is now equivalent to the population of Japan.
UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi acknowledged that conflict remains a significant driver of mass displacement, noting that the number has more than doubled since he took office eight years ago. He described this as "a terrible indictment on the state of the world."
The report highlighted that unless there is a shift in international geopolitics, the figure is expected to continue rising. Of the 117.3 million displaced at the end of 2023, 68.3 million were internally displaced within their own countries, while 43.4 million were refugees and others in need of international protection.
The report countered the perception that all refugees and migrants go to wealthy countries, stating that the vast majority are hosted in countries neighboring their own, with 75% residing in low- and middle-income countries that together produce less than 20% of the world's income.
The report cited several key factors driving up the numbers, including the civil war in Sudan, which has displaced more than nine million people since April 2023, leaving nearly 11 million Sudanese uprooted by the end of the year.
