In 2024, UNHCR faced numerous challenges, responding to 43 emergencies, including conflicts, climate disasters, and disease outbreaks. With 91% of its workforce in the field, UNHCR provided critical aid and protection to millions of displaced people.

In the Middle East temperatures can drop below 0°C, in Afghanistan down to -15°C, and in Ukraine -20°C. Far from home, with limited resources, these families face yet another brutal winter, enduring freezing nights and harsh conditions. 

Recent developments in Syria are raising hopes for peace and reconstruction. After more than 14 years of conflict, Syria has an unprecedented opportunity to move towards peace, with its people beginning to return home.

“Displaced women, children and men are dying of hunger, malnutrition and disease. This is a clear indication of the fragility of people forced to flee, many of them multiple times over”, stated Mamadou Dian Balde, Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan situation, in the beginning of August. 

This has exacerbated the biggest humanitarian disaster in the world today. The situation of the more than 10 million people who have had to flee their homes since the war broke out in April 2023 is becoming increasingly critical.

UNHCR's mission is to provide lifesaving support and safeguard the rights of people forced to flee. This includes refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), asylum seekers, stateless individuals, and returnees. 

The fighting in Sudan has been going on for more than a year now. More and more atrocities are coming to light and the civilian population is suffering. 9 million people have already had to leave their homes in the East African country and seek refuge in a new location.

The number of people worldwide who were forced to flee from conflict, violence and persecution has risen again: Last May, the staggering number of 120 million has been announced by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in its Global Trends Report 2023. 

“We face impossible decisions to meet the greatest demand we’ve ever seen”

The conflict in Sudan broke on April 15th 2023 - it's going in its second year now. Millions of people had to flee already. They urgently need help, says Dr. Mamadou Dian Balde. He is UNHCR's Regional Director for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes and the Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan Situation. But UNHCR is lacking resources...