UN: Number of displaced people reaches 114 million

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that 2023 was a year in which a record number of people were forced from their homes, fleeing violence, insecurity, and danger.

Guterres noted that during his time as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, he met countless refugees, stating that many of them had been subjected to abuse and violence.

Pointing to the massive destruction witnessed in Gaza, as well as displacements occurring from the Sahel to Afghanistan, Syria to Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Myanmar and Somalia, Guterres highlighted the following points:

Truly, Palestinian refugees are enduring suffering on an unprecedented scale. The UN system is doing everything it can to support them, especially through our sister agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Drawing attention to the fact that the number of people displaced globally due to "humanitarian nightmares" has reached 114 million, Guterres said that this figure includes 36 million refugees.

Guterres continued his remarks as follows:

"We must never forget that these statistics represent people with dreams and hopes, women and men with skills and ideas, and children with plans and determination. These individuals have the same rights as every member of the human family. They deserve safety, food, water, shelter, to be valued, and every chance for a good future. However, as you have heard during this forum, resources to support refugees are under immense pressure, especially in the global south, which continues to host and welcome the vast majority of refugees. Protection and assistance for refugees should not be a lottery or a disproportionate burden falling on a few countries and communities based on their geographical location. This is a responsibility shared by all of humanity."

News Source: 12punto