Global Internal Displacement Hits Record High Due to Conflicts

The number of internally displaced people worldwide has reached a record high by the end of 2023, escalating due to intensified conflicts in Sudan, the Gaza Strip, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 

The annual report released on Tuesday by the Geneva-based Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), a non-governmental organization, noted that internal displacement figures climbed to 76 million by the year's end.

The report indicates a 50% increase in internal displacement over the past five years, with the number standing at 71.1 million at the end of 2022. 

The conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, and the DRC have significantly contributed to this surge, pushing the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to a staggering 75.9 million by the end of 2023.

Unlike refugees who cross international borders, internally displaced persons are forced to move within their home country. According to the IDMC's global report on internal displacement, 68.3 million individuals worldwide were displaced due to conflicts and violence, and another 7.7 million due to disasters.

Over the last five years, the number of conflict-driven IDPs increased by 22.6 million, with significant rises particularly in 2022 and 2023. Sudan holds the record for the highest number of IDPs in a single country since data collection began in 2008, with up to 9.1 million internally displaced.

Approximately half of all IDPs are located in sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting the intense and ongoing challenges faced by the region.

Alexandra Bilak, Director of the IDMC, stated, "In the past two years, we have observed alarming new levels of people being forced to flee their homes due to conflicts and violence, even in regions that were previously showing signs of improvement."

She emphasized that "the ongoing conflicts and the devastation they leave behind prevent millions from rebuilding their lives, often for years."

The conflicts in Sudan, the DRC, and the Palestinian territories were responsible for nearly two-thirds of the new IDPs caused by conflicts in 2023, highlighting the devastating impact of violence on civilian populations.