In 2022, around 108.4 million people were on the run according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (as of June 2023). Years of civil war in Syria, the war in Ukraine, the conflicts in Yemen and Sudan, devastating natural disasters, epidemics and the effects of climate change are some of the serious reasons for this ongoing global refugee crisis, which saw a dramatic increase of 19.1 million people compared to the previous year 2021. More than half of these displaced people (62.5 million) sought refuge in their own country as "Internally Displaced People" in 2022 (as of June 2023).
The prospects are dire and raise fears of a further increase in the global refugee situation due to ongoing armed conflicts and growing social inequality.
It is therefore essential to find solutions and provide humanitarian aid to support the millions of people who have left their homes and lost everything, and to enable them to live in health and dignity.
Malteser International, the international relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta, is one of the world's leading humanitarian aid organizations with a special focus on refugee relief and assistance for internally displaced persons and other vulnerable people.
People flee for a variety of reasons, but refugees usually have one thing in common: they are looking for safety, protection and a better life for themselves and their families. According to the Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID) by the International Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC), there are two main reasons for displacement (as of May 2023):
Depending on the region, there are other causes for displacement. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, in addition to natural disasters and extreme weather phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña, the resulting droughts and food insecurity also play a major role in causing many people to leave their homes. An overview of additional reasons for displacement:
According to the UNHCR refugee report and the IDMC GRID 2023, most people are fleeing as a result of the civil war in Syria: 6.9 million Syrians are internally displaced. The war has also driven 6.5 million people across the country's borders (as of May/June 2023). Around 2.8 million of the refugees are children who have not only had to leave their homes behind, but have often also witnessed the death of family members and friends. Most Syrian refugees find refuge in the neighboring countries of Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. However, economically weak host countries are themselves struggling with poverty and a shortage of resources. As a result, most refugees live in extreme poverty and are in urgent need of help. War is also the main cause of the refugee movement in Ukraine. 3.7 million Ukrainians are internally displaced due to the war and 6.5 million have fled to other countries (UNHCR, as of February 2024). The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is also driving countless people to flee - with 6.6 million internally displaced persons and 5.7 million refugees (as of May/June 2023).
The refugee movement is one of the most significant humanitarian challenges of our time. Whether due to persecution, hunger, the climate crisis, internal unrest or international conflicts - the decision to leave one's home country is never easy for those affected and is often the result of a mixture of necessity and desperation. At the heart of this movement, two groups are distinguished by definition: Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. Although both groups share similar or identical reasons for fleeing and experiences, their experiences and the support available to them differ in certain respects:
The following table uses figures to impressively illustrate the extent of the current global refugee movement.
| Country | Number of refugees in millions | Number of Internally Displaced Persons in millions |
| Syria | approx. 6.5 | approx. 6.9 |
| Ukraine | approx. 6.5 | approx. 3.7 |
| Afghanistan | approx. 5.7 | approx. 6.6 |
| Venezuela | approx. 5.5 | |
| Southsudan | approx. 2.3 | approx. 3.8 |
| Myanmar | approx. 1.3 | approx. 1.5 |
| Gaza | approx. 1.7 |
Source: UNHCR Global Trends Report 2022, as of June 2023. IDMC GRID 2023, as of May 2023. UNHCR operational data portal, as of February 2024 (Ukraine figures). UNFPA, as at: April 2024 (Gaza figures)
Malteser International is committed to supporting refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide. The aim of our work is to improve the living and health situation of people on the run. We provide fast and effective refugee aid on the ground, which promotes the self-determination of those affected in their emergency situation. Our projects therefore focus on working with those affected and responding to their individual situation so that we always provide support exactly where help is needed most. Many of the aid projects that Malteser International offers for refugees and internally displaced persons are carried out in close cooperation with local partner organizations.
In countries such as Bangladesh and Thailand, for example, we focus on providing healthcare for refugees, particularly mother and child health in refugee camps. We offer similar services in Pakistan and Afghanistan, also outside the refugee camps. Pakistan is one of the five largest host countries for refugees worldwide. We have established basic health stations, where we provide medical staff, equipment and medicine. Since summer 2012, we have been working with local partners to provide cross-border medical aid for Syrian people affected by the war - both for displaced people within Syria who are unable or unwilling to leave the country and for those Syrians who have fled to neighboring Türkiye and Lebanon.
In Ukraine, together with the Order of Malta network, we also provided emergency relief at the borders during the large refugee movements at the beginning of the invasion by Russia, for example in the form of psychosocial support for internally displaced persons and by providing initial medical care in neighboring countries. Two years after the escalation of the war, we continue to support internally displaced persons in Ukraine. In Colombia, our refugee support includes culturally sensitive health and nutritional care as well as psychosocial support – with a focus on particularly vulnerable population groups, such as the indigenous Wayuu and refugees from Venezuela as well as returnees. In Uganda, our focus includes promoting peaceful coexistence between refugees and the Ugandan population. Additionally, we support the South Sudanese refugees in Uganda with specific measures to strengthen their resilience, for example in the form of education in the areas of health, water and hygiene (WASH) and with training programs for young people. Malteser International also provides refugee support in South Sudan, Nigeria, Lebanon, north-west Syria and Türkiye - where we are also working to improve the living conditions of refugees and displaced persons with a wide range of measures.
„For many years, we have been actively working in most of our project countries to meet the needs of internally displaced persons and refugees, who are among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people worldwide. The dignity and protection of these people are our top priority.“
- Dr. Thomas Weiss, Head of Malteser International's Middle East Department and expert on displacement.
Refugee camps are often the first port of call for people fleeing conflict, persecution or disasters after a mostly dangerous and exhausting escape. Ideally, refugees receive basic medical care, accommodation, food, drinking water and access to sanitary facilities in the camps. However, many camps face challenges that make the living conditions of the residents more difficult, such as overcrowding, a lack of sanitary facilities and an inadequate supply of drinking water.
Malteser International is therefore actively committed to improving the situation in refugee camps, for example by providing or improving basic medical care, providing psychosocial support or improving the water situation. In our work in refugee camps in Syria, Bangladesh, Thailand and Uganda, we pursue the primary goal of enabling the residents to lead a dignified life under the given circumstances.
The war in Ukraine has led to one of the largest displacement crises in the world. Millions of refugees have fled to neighboring countries, and many more have been displaced within the country.
We support the people in Ukraine with various aid measures, working closely with the Malteser Ukraine team and other partners that assess the needs of the people on the ground and administer the aid.
Read more
World Refugee Day, which is celebrated every year on June 20, is a reminder that millions of people around the world are forced to leave their homes due to conflict, persecution and natural disasters in search of safe shelter and protection. In such precarious situations, access to adequate healthcare and respect for human dignity are often left behind. However, we are convinced that every person, regardless of their circumstances, should have a right to them. That is why we are committed to ensuring that people on the run receive appropriate medical care. In 2023, around World Refugee Day, we launched the campaign "On the run: Health must not be left behind" to raise awareness of the right of all people to access healthcare services, regardless of their circumstances.
Learn more about the campaign
Cologne. The number of people affected by hunger worldwide is rising rapidly. The causes are manifold: the catastrophic effects of climate change, wars and conflicts, and skyrocketing prices for wheat, cooking oil, fertiliser and petrol as a result of the Ukraine war. The hunger crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine war will also have an impact on refugee movements.
Read moreRefugees and displaced persons have dreams and wishes like every other person. In our work, we have spoken to refugees from different countries and asked them: What do you dream of? Some have shared their experiences with us. Find out more about their tragic but also hopeful stories of fleeing their home.
Refugee camps are the first port of call for many people after fleeing their homes.
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Millions of refugees and displaced people live in overcrowded camps under devastating conditions. An outbreak of COVID-19 would be a disaster.
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