Over 117 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as of June 2025, according to UNHCR. This figure can be viewed from several perspectives: it represents a 33 percent increase compared to five years ago; one in 70 people globally is forcibly displaced; and the total number of displaced people has almost doubled over the past decade. While the number of refugees worldwide has declined slightly, the 2024  IDMC Global Report on Internal Displacement estimates that 73.5 million people were displaced within their own country at the end of 2024—6.3 million more than the previous year.  

Regardless of how these figures are viewed, these numbers underscore a clear reality: forced displacement remains a pervasive, global phenomenon, with 71 percent of refugees hosted in low- and middle-income countries. Of concern is that these trends coincide with significant reductions in financing for humanitarian and development assistance, which will impact the protection, welfare, and livelihoods of millions of people. The emergence of new conflicts, such as those we are currently witnessing in the Middle East and Central Asia, threatens to increase the number of people affected by forced displacement. 

Yet 2024 also brought a glimmer of hope. More than eight million internally displaced people returned to their place of origin, and the number of refugees returning home was the highest for more than two decades. While not all movements were voluntary, for example returns to Afghanistan, a significant positive shift took place in Syria, one of the largest situations of forced displacement globally.  

The arrival of Syrian refugees more than a decade ago had significant socioeconomic consequences for host countries, affecting labor markets, social cohesion, prices, and welfare systems. The end of the conflict offers the opportunity to reflect on these impacts, and on the risks and opportunities linked to return and reintegration into communities of origin. These are some of the topics that are explored in the latest JDC Digest, which is dedicated to the Syrian situation, and complements the Digest on returns that the JDC published shortly before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.  

Note: Data from the UNHCR Data Operational Portal – Syrian Arab Republic. 

By the end of January, more than 3.1 million Syrians had returned home, approximately  1.4 million of whom came back from abroad. Some are escaping conflicts erupting elsewhere in the Middle East, and in some cases, mobility remains fluid with individuals assessing conditions or moving incrementally rather than undertaking immediate permanent return.    

While movements remain cautious and provisional for some, many returnees are choosing to stay in Syria beyond an initial exploratory visit, despite the fragile socioeconomic situation in the country, and the lack of clarity about its political and administrative future. As Houssam, a Syrian refugee noted: “On December 8, 2024, as we watched the news unfold, time stood still. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at my wife and my daughters, barely believing what I was seeing and hearing. For the first time in over a decade, returning to Syria isn’t just a dream, it’s a possibility. But what will return mean for my children? For their education? Will they fit into the new society?” 

Enabling successful and sustainable returns will depend, among other factors, on coordinated engagement by development and humanitarian partners to support socioeconomic recovery, restore service delivery, strengthen institutions, and expand economic opportunities in Syria.  

Robust, timely, and high-quality data and evidence, such as that presented in the Syria Digest, are essential for shaping a dignified and peaceful future for those who return and those who remained. They can support individuals like Houssam to re-establish their lives, guide national recovery and reconstruction after years of conflict, and inform the actions of the international community in supporting the people of Syria. At a time of constrained financing, such evidence is also essential to support more targeted allocation of resources and to demonstrate impact, helping ensure that investments reach those most in need and advance sustainable responses and self-reliance. 

Highlights 

UNHCR Mid-Year Trends Report 2025 

IDMC Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025 

JDC Digest on the Syrian Situation 

JDC Digest on Returns 

Aissatou Maisha Dicko

Head of the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center on Forced Displacement

The literature review linked to our Digest delves into recent research on the Syrian refugee situation and forced displacement in countries such as Syria, Türkiye, Jordan, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, focusing on themes such as return, social cohesion, and the socioeconomic impact of refugee inflows.

Explore our latest Digest and previous editions, organized by categories and countries, on our website.