The UN Refugee Agency reported that in mid-2020, population displacement surpassed a total of 80 million across the world. In the first three months of the year, 79.5 million people had been forced to flee their homes due to human rights violations, persecution, and armed conflict. Within that number, 45.7 million were internally displaced people (IDPs), 4.2 million were asylum seekers, and 29.6 million people were categorized as refugees who were forced to leave their countries either by domestic terrorism or lack of opportunity.
Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Mozambique, and Syria are reported to be the countries that drove the highest number of displacements in the first half of 2020. Women and children are among the most affected groups, as they suffer atrocities such as executions and sexual abuse. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, blamed the international community for showing the lack of effort in mitigating these issues. He also warned that the 80 million mark will double in the next decade if world leaders do not work together to prevent future wars.
However, the world leaders are not the only ones to blame. The ongoing pandemic has weakened the implementation of refugee strategies in the most affected countries. With lockdowns and restrictions in place, it has become more difficult for refugees to seek safety. Despite difficulties, the UNHCR have worked alongside 111 countries in finding solutions to ensure their asylum system is as operational as possible in the current circumstances. Several implemented approaches include the creation of numerous covid-19 testing sites and safe havens that allow for quarantining.
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