The UN refugee agency reported a historic decline in forced displacement in 2025, the first in a decade, but the total of 118 million displaced people remains alarmingly high. - 117 million people were forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, or persecution at the end of 2025.
- 5.4 million people crossed international borders seeking refuge, a 3% drop from 2024. - Sudan's war caused the largest internal displacement, with 9.1 million people displaced.
- 4.4 million refugees returned home, the second-highest number on record, but many returns were under pressure. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees urged governments to expand legal pathways for refugees and warned that the human cost of inaction is measured in lives.