UNHCR Report: Refugee Numbers Rise as Humanitarian Aid Shrinks
“Humanitarian aid must not be put at risk. It is vital for survival”, warns Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of WHH
Bonn/Berlin, 12 June 2025: The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has published the latest figures on forced displacement. The number of forcibly displaced people increased again last year. As of the end of April 2025, 122.1 million people worldwide had fled war and persecution. Welthungerhilfe has commented on the new refugee figures:
Mathias Mogge, Secretary General of Welthungerhilfe, said:
“The Global Trends Report is a dramatic wake-up call. With 122 million people fleeing war, violence, and persecution worldwide, the number of displaced people has once again reached an all-time high. Forced displacement particularly affects children: around 40 per cent of all displaced people are children. The number of violent conflicts has doubled in the last 10 years, forcing more and more families to flee. Most refugees find refuge in neighboring countries — states that are themselves struggling with poverty and unstable structures.
Sudan is currently experiencing the largest displacement and hunger crisis. Around a third of the population has been displaced, with almost 25 million people suffering from acute hunger. The situation around the ZamZam refugee camp in North Darfur is particularly dramatic. Humanitarian aid has extremely limited access to the camp, making it almost impossible to reach those in urgent need of help. In April 2025, the ZamZam camp was the target of several violent attacks, resulting in 400,000 people fleeing again and now enduring life without aid.
War and violence are also driving more and more people to flee in Gaza and Ukraine. In the Gaza Strip, practically the entire population of over two million people depends on aid. Even there, access for those facing starvation is insufficient and hindered.
While the number of refugees, starving people and violent conflicts is increasing, funding for humanitarian aid is being cut massively. This is not only irresponsible but also endangers human lives every day. Humanitarian aid must not be put at risk. It is vital for survival.
Without consistent investment in peace solutions, the cycle of war, displacement and hunger will continue. What is needed are political willpower, investment in peace processes, and genuine prospects for reconstruction. Peace must not remain an unattainable dream. If we reduce aid today, more people could lose everything tomorrow”.
Welthungerhilfe is one of the largest private aid organizations in Germany; it is politically independent and non-denominational. With courage and determination, it is striving for a world without hunger. Since it was founded on December 14, 1962, 12,128 overseas projects in about 72 countries have been supported with 5.07 billion euros. Welthungerhilfe follows the principle of empowering people to help themselves to sustainably improve their living conditions, offering everything from fast disaster relief to reconstruction and long-term development cooperation projects with national and international partner organizations.
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