The world is facing the largest refugee crisis since World War II. It is a crisis that can be resolved only by ending the conflict and violence that caused people to flee. The solution is not to turn away and pretend the problem doesn’t exist; it’s to invest in peace, protect families, and help refugees rebuild their lives.
Conflict and persecution are the most common causes of displacement, but many more people become refugees because of hunger, poverty, or discrimination. As of the end of 2024, the global population of displaced people was 42.7 million. This includes 31 million refugees under the care of UNHCR and 5.9 million Palestinian refugees supported by UNRWA, plus 72.1 million internally displaced people and 11.1 million asylum seekers.
Sadly, the crisis will not go away anytime soon. In fact, it may only get worse. This is because the problems that generate refugee crises tend to be long-term and intractable, so they continue to spark new waves of displacement. Worse, refugee situations often become deeply entwined with the politics, security, and economy of the region. As a result, the solutions to refugee crises generally require cooperation among host countries, donors, and refugee-producing countries.
As the plight of refugees and migrants worldwide continues to deteriorate, it is time for wealthy countries to put their own houses in order. They need to strengthen asylum policies, stop the commodification of people seeking safety, and invest in peace, protection, and development for everyone.
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