In 2025, nearly 15 million displaced people returned to their homes—the largest surge of returns ever recorded by the United Nations. But for many, the journey back has been fraught with hardship.
"Returning was beautiful in the sense of going back to one’s country, but it was very exhausting physically, emotionally, financially, and mentally, because everything has changed," said Hiam, a 37-year-old Syrian refugee who returned after the fall of the al-Assad regime in 2024. She is among more than three million Syrians who have gone back.
Globally, at least 117.8 million people—roughly one in 70 people worldwide—remain forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution, or instability. That figure includes refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people (IDPs), and others in need of protection, according to the UNHCR's latest data.
For the first time in a decade, forced displacement has declined, driven largely by large-scale returns from the world's biggest displacement crises. Of the 117.8 million displaced:
- 68.6 million are internally displaced within their own countries
- 28.5 million are refugees under UNHCR mandate
- 9 million are asylum seekers
- 7.2 million are in need of international protection
- 6 million are Palestinian refugees under UNRWA's mandate
By the end of 2025, 41.6 million refugees lived outside their countries of origin. Nearly half came from just four nations: Venezuela, Palestine, Ukraine, and Syria. A small number of host countries—Jordan, Colombia, Germany, and Turkey—shouldered much of the responsibility.
The Surge in Returns
In 2025, nearly 15 million displaced people returned home, representing 12 percent of all forcibly displaced individuals. IDPs accounted for the majority: 10.3 million returned within their own countries, while 4.36 million refugees—nearly triple the 2024 figure—returned across borders.
However, the UNHCR warns that conditions for returns remain precarious, with many people going back to violence and instability. Almost 98 percent of refugee returns in 2025 were concentrated in just five countries:
- Afghanistan (1.95 million)
- Syria (1.34 million)
- Sudan (651,500)
- South Sudan (199,300)
- Ukraine (139,300)
Afghanistan: Forced and Uncertain Returns
Nearly two million Afghans returned in 2025, often forced by restrictive policies in Iran and Pakistan. Maryam, a 30-year-old widow and mother of two, returned to Afghanistan after six years in Iran. "Now I have nothing—no job, no home, and no one to turn to," she said. Her 15-year-old son, Sadeq, searches for work instead of attending school, hiding his dreams to spare her worry.
UNHCR interviews with Afghan returnees reveal deep economic and social struggles, compounded by a lack of basic services and employment opportunities.
The Road Ahead
While the desire to rebuild lives is strong, the UN cautions that sustainable reintegration requires international support, security, and economic stability. For millions, returning home is only the first step in a long journey toward recovery.