- UNHCR Warns Millions Remain Trapped in Prolonged Displacement Despite Record Returns
GENEVA: The number of people displaced worldwide by conflict and persecution declined in 2025 for the first time in nearly a decade, but millions of refugees continue to face prolonged displacement and uncertain futures, according to a new report by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).
The report said that around 5.4 million people were forced to flee their homes during the year, bringing the global number of refugees and people in refugee-like situations to approximately 41.6 million, including nearly 6 million Palestinian refugees.
At the same time, about 14.7 million refugees and internally displaced people returned to their homes in 2025 — a 50 percent increase compared with the previous year and the second-highest return figure recorded since 1965.
Major Returns Recorded in Conflict-Affected Countries
UNHCR reported that most returns took place in six countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Myanmar.
However, the agency cautioned that many returnees went back to areas still facing serious challenges, including damaged infrastructure, limited access to essential services, economic hardship, and continuing security threats.
The report warned that such conditions raise concerns over whether returns can be sustained safely and with dignity.
Afghanistan and Syria See Significant Refugee Returns
Afghanistan recorded one of the largest return movements in 2025, with approximately 2.9 million Afghans returning, including around 1.9 million refugees — five times higher than the previous year.
UNHCR said the increase was largely linked to stricter policies in neighboring Iran and Pakistan, with many returnees reporting that they had little choice but to leave.
As a result, the global Afghan refugee population declined from 5.8 million in 2024 to around 3.7 million by the end of 2025.
Syria, which had remained one of the world’s largest displacement crises for more than a decade, saw about 1.3 million people return in 2025 following political changes after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government in December 2024.
The number of Syrian refugees worldwide fell from around 6 million to 4.9 million during the year.
UNHCR, however, stressed that many returning Syrians continue to face insecurity, widespread destruction, weak economic conditions, limited employment opportunities, and sporadic violence.
New Conflicts Continue to Drive Displacement
Despite progress in some regions, UNHCR said new conflicts continue to reshape global displacement trends.
The agency reported that millions have been temporarily displaced in the Middle East following escalating regional tensions, including around 3.2 million people displaced in Iran after reported US-Israeli strikes and approximately one million people forced from their homes in Lebanon amid military operations and evacuation orders.
UN Calls for Long-Term Solutions for Refugees
UNHCR said it aims to reduce by half the number of refugees and others living in prolonged displacement who require humanitarian assistance by 2035.
The agency plans to achieve this by supporting voluntary returns, expanding education opportunities, and creating pathways to employment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries that host the majority of the world’s refugees.
Currently, about 70 percent of refugees have been displaced for five years or longer, often living in host countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye, and Iran.
“Protection and asylum are life-saving and cannot be compromised, but millions of refugees cannot remain without hope or opportunities to rebuild their lives for years or decades,” UNHCR High Commissioner Barham Salih said.
The agency emphasized that sustainable solutions require not only safe returns but also greater access to education, jobs, and economic independence for displaced communities.
BY: The Times Union
