Global Trends Report on Forced Displacements Released by UNHCR

What is the News? The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has released the Global Trends Report on Forced Displacements.

About Global Trends Report:

• The Global Trends Report is an annual report. UNHCR publishes this report.
• Purpose: The report counts and tracks the numbers of refugees, internally displaced people. It also tracks people who have returned to their countries or areas of origin, asylum-seekers, stateless people, and other populations of concern.

Key Takeaways from the Report:

• Around 82.4 million people were forcibly displaced, by the end of 2020. Reasons behind that were, persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events seriously disturbing public order.
  • This is a 4% increase in forcibly displaced people when compared to 2019.
• Countries: More than two-thirds of all people who fled abroad came from just five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar.
• Turkey is hosting the largest refugee population worldwide for the seventh year in a row, It was followed by Colombia, Pakistan, Uganda, and Germany.
• Climate Change: Climate change is also driving displacement and increasing the vulnerability of those already forced to flee.
• Demographics: Children are particularly affected during displacement crises, especially if their displacement drags on for many years. They account for 30% of the world’s population, but an estimated 42% of all forcibly displaced people.
• Covid-19: As of May 2021, more than 165 million people worldwide have been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 since the first case was recorded in December 2019. People who have been forcibly displaced have been among the hardest-hit groups among them.

Source: UNHCR