According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) as of May 2024, more than 120 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, violence or human rights violations. This includes:
- 43.4 million refugees
- 63.3 million internally displaced people
- 6.9 million asylum seekers
- 5.8 million people in need of international protection, a majority from
Who is a refugee?
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries. Seventy-three percent of all refugees and other people in need of international protection come from just five countries: Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela, Ukraine , and Sudan.
Who is an internally displaced person?
An internally displaced person, or IDP, is someone who has been forced to flee their home but never cross an international border. These individuals seek safety anywhere they can find it—in nearby towns, schools, settlements, internal camps, even forests and fields. IDPs, which include people displaced by internal strife and natural disasters, are the largest group that UNHCR assists. Unlike refugees, IDPs are not protected by international law or eligible to receive many types of aid because they are legally under the protection of their own government.
During 2023, the most significant changes in internal displacement occurred in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Syria, and Ukraine.
Who is a stateless person?
A stateless person is someone who is not a citizen of any country. Citizenship is the legal bond between a government and an individual, and allows for certain political, economic, social, and other rights of the individual, as well as the responsibilities of both government and citizen. A person can become stateless due to a variety of reasons, including sovereign, legal, technical, or administrative decisions or oversights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights underlines that “Everyone has the right to a nationality.”
Who is an asylum seeker?
When people flee their own country and seek sanctuary in another country, they apply for asylum – the right to be recognized as a refugee and receive legal protection and material assistance. An asylum seeker must demonstrate that his or her fear of persecution in his or her home country is well-founded.
What is the 1951 Refugee Convention?
The 1951 Geneva Convention is the main international instrument of refugee law. The Convention clearly spells out who a refugee is and the kind of legal protection, other assistance and social rights he or she should receive from the countries that have signed the document. The Convention also defines a refugee’s obligations to host governments and certain categories or people, such as war criminals, who do not qualify for refugee status. The Convention was limited to protecting mainly European refugees in the aftermath of World War II, but another document, the 1967 Protocol, expanded the scope of the Convention as the problem of displacement spread around the world.
Press the button below for more detailed information on the countries from which these refugees come and where they are seeking refuge.
For information about US immigration related policies and programs, and what you can do to help welcome refugees, see the PCC4Refugees online guide to volunteer opportunities for the Peace Corps Community.