UN: Global Displacement Reaches Unprecedented Levels
According to a United Nations report, escalating wars and destructive conflicts in various parts of the world have driven the number of displaced persons globally to over 65 million. This figure has doubled over the past 20 years.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced in its latest report on Monday (June 19 / June 29) that the number of displaced persons worldwide increased by 300,000 compared to 2015 last year, reaching 65.6 million—a figure unprecedented in history.
Accordingly, in the past year, 20 people per minute were forced to flee their homes to save their lives and livelihoods.
The primary causes of growing displacement worldwide are wars and destructive conflicts, whose flames are spreading across different parts of the globe.
According to Felipe Grandhi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, statistics show that war and conflict, which are the main causes of flight and displacement, remain unresolved.
He told Germany’s ARD television news division: “We are actually living in a world where establishing peace has become impossible.” Grandhi added: “That is why the situation of the displaced will worsen.”
According to the Commissioner, the number of displaced persons worldwide has doubled from 1997 to now, over the past 20 years.
22.5 million of the current displaced have left their homes and fled to other countries. 40.3 million are internally displaced within their own countries; 2.8 million have formally applied for refugee status in other countries.
One of the UN’s major concerns is the high number of displaced persons who have not reached legal age and are currently struggling with displacement alone and without their families. According to the UN High Commissioner’s report, more than half of the world’s displaced are under 18 years old.
Syria Leads in Displacement Numbers
Three countries lead in terms of displaced persons: Syria, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. More than half of the world’s current displaced are from these three countries.
The UN has particularly warned about the current situation in South Sudan, announcing that hundreds of thousands have been added to the country’s displaced population just since the beginning of this year.
South Sudan’s displaced population at the end of last year reached around 740,000, while it has now risen to 1.87 million.
South Sudan, with a population of 12 million, gained independence in 2011, but within two years it fell into war and internal conflicts among various ethnic groups. The UN High Commissioner’s report mentions targeted killings of civilians, arbitrary arrests, torture, and rape in South Sudan.
Famine and hunger have also worsened the situation in South Sudan and increased its displaced population. Most South Sudanese displaced have sought refuge in neighboring countries (Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia).
The UN High Commissioner’s report also mentions the total number of displaced persons. Syria ranks first in this regard. Currently, 12 million Syrians are displaced both inside and outside the country, meaning 650 per 1,000 people. Colombia with 7.7 million and Iraq with 4.2 million displaced rank next.
Displaced and Refugees in Europe
The Syrian crisis and war are among the causes of increased numbers of refugees and displaced in Europe. However, most of them live in Turkey (2.9 million); 2.3 million live in European countries.
According to Felipe Grandhi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the European Union’s programs for better control of Mediterranean waters to prevent the entry of displaced and refugees are insufficient. He believes greater efforts should be made to combat the causes and roots of flight and displacement.
In terms of new refugee applications, Germany leads the world. Last year, a total of 2 million refugee applications were formally submitted, with over 722,000 of them in Germany.
Source: DW
