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By Joyce Mukucha
The trend in rising forced displacement continued into 2021 with global numbers now exceeding 84 million as more people fled violence, insecurity and the effects of climate change, according to the Mid-Year Trends report released today by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.
The report for January-June 2021, indicated a surge from 82.4 million since December largely due to internal displacement with more people fleeing multiple active conflicts around the world, especially in Africa.
The report also noted that COVID-19 border restrictions continued to limit access to asylum in many locations.
“The lethal mix of conflict, COVID-19, poverty, food insecurity and the climate emergency has compounded the humanitarian plight of the displaced, most of whom are hosted in developing regions,”said UNHCR.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi pointed out that the effects of climate change were exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in many areas hosting the forcibly displaced as he also highlighted that the global community was to prevent the challenges.
“The effects of climate change are exacerbating existing vulnerabilities in many areas hosting the forcibly displaced. The international community is failing to prevent violence, persecution and human rights violations, which continue to drive people from their homes,” said Grandi.
The report also figured out that the number of refugees also continued to increase during the first half of 2021, reaching nearly 21 million with many coming from Africa and less than one million internally displaced people and 126,700 refugees were able to return home.
“Most new refugees came from five countries: Central African Republic (71,800), South Sudan (61,700) Syria (38,800), Afghanistan (25,200) and Nigeria (20,300).”
According to the report, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) witnessed 1.3 million displacements and Ethiopia, 1.2 million, the report detailed.
Meanwhile violence in Myanmar and Afghanistan also saw an increase in the number driven to leave home.
Solutions, the report revealed, for forcibly displaced populations remain in short supply and under 1 million internally displaced people and 126,700 refugees were able to return home in the first half of 2021.
Grandi emphasised the need for international community to joins hands and work tirelessly and prioritize peace and protection of displaced communities.
“The international community must redouble its efforts to make peace, and at the same time must ensure resources are available to displaced communities and their hosts.
“It is the communities and countries with the fewest resources that continue to shoulder the greatest burden in protecting and caring for the forcibly displaced, and they must be better supported by the rest of the international community,” he said.