The record number of more than 114 million forcibly displaced people around the world is alarming and highlights the multiple crises and conflicts plaguing our society today. These forced displacements are due to wars, persecution, violence and human rights violations.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and unrest in Somalia, are among the main causes of these massive population movements.
It is important to emphasize that more than half of displaced people are forced to cross borders to find refuge in other countries. Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine are the three countries that contribute the largest number of displaced people in the world.
However, it is essential not to forget that the situation in Gaza has also attracted global attention due to the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding there. But it is necessary to realize that many other conflicts are spreading and intensifying across the world, leading to the destruction of innocent lives and the uprooting of populations.
Figures compiled by UNHCR show a significant increase in the number of displaced people, from 110 million in mid-June 2023 to 114 million at the end of September 2023. However, it can be emphasized that these data do not take into account the 1 .4 million Palestinians displaced within the Gaza Strip since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas.
This alarming situation calls for international awareness and concrete measures to end these conflicts and crises which are devastating lives and displacing millions of people. International cooperation and a humanitarian approach are essential to help these displaced populations rebuild their lives and regain the security and dignity to which they are entitled.
It is essential to continue raising awareness on these issues, in order to generate global solidarity and promote sustainable solutions to resolve these crises and prevent future situations of forced displacement. Each of us can contribute, at our own level, by supporting humanitarian organizations and putting pressure on our governments to act in favor of peace and the protection of human rights.
Together, we can make a difference and offer a better future to these millions of people who have been forced to leave everything to escape violence and suffering.