A rare decline in global forced displacement offers a sign of hope, but not yet a turning point, according to UNHCR’s latest Global Trends report. Presenting the findings, Barham Salih, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, warned that while fewer people were displaced in 2025 for the first time in a decade, the number of people forced from their homes remains unacceptably high.
In 2025, around 5.4 million people escaped violence and persecution by fleeing to other countries. At the same time, returns gathered pace: 14.7 million displaced people returned to their areas or countries of origin, including 4.4 million refugees and 10.3 million internally displaced persons, with sharp increases in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria.
Refugee returns reached the second highest level since records began 60 years ago. However, many of these returns took place under pressure and in precarious conditions, raising serious concerns about their safety and sustainability.
Overall, the number of refugees declined by 3 per cent in 2025, reaching 41.6 million. In another positive development, nearly 46,000 stateless people acquired nationality across 24 countries, marking an important step in efforts to reduce statelessness.
Despite these encouraging signs, around 70 per cent of refugees remain trapped in situations of protracted exile, with many living below the poverty line. Against this backdrop, Salih urged the international community to support a new initiative aimed at helping millions of people move beyond long-term displacement and dependence on humanitarian aid.
“For too many refugees, displacement begins as a lifeline but lasts a lifetime,” said Salih. “Humanitarian aid saves lives, but it is not the end goal and does not enable refugees to become active agents in control of their future. We need a paradigm shift that creates new hope and opportunities for those fleeing war and persecution.”
The High Commissioner set out a clear objective: to reduce by more than half, over the next decade, the number of refugees in protracted displacement who rely on humanitarian assistance. The target focuses mainly on low- and middle-income countries, which host the majority of the world’s refugees, and would be achieved by expanding opportunities for return, relocation and humanitarian visas, while supporting greater self-reliance.
The initiative calls for stronger inclusion of refugees in national systems, including education, health care, financial services and labour markets, so they can earn an income and contribute to local economies. Salih also stressed the urgent need to expand international solutions, including resettlement for the most vulnerable, family reunification, work permits and scholarships, warning that the gap between needs and available places continues to widen.