Global refugee crises: How conflicts in several countries have resulted in large-scale displacement

By Ankur Biplav

Conflicts in several regions such as Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ukraine and South Sudan have resulted in large-scale displacement, with millions of individuals seeking safety and protection in neighbouring countries or across borders. World Refugee Day aims at honouring refugees around the globe. It is celebrated each year on June 20. The day was first established on June 20, 2001, by the United Nations. This year’s theme is ‘Hope Away from Home’, which highlights the resilience and challenges faced by refugees. As per UN figures, more than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the war began, while another 8 million escaped to safer places within Ukraine. We look at some of the world’s largest refugee crises in the recent past.

Syrian Refugee Crisis

The Syrian refugee crisis is one of the largest refugee and displacement crises in the world, resulting from Syria’s war. Millions of Syrians have been displaced from their communities, with over 6.8 million internally displaced and 5.5 million refugees living in neighbouring countries. The displacement has led to a humanitarian crisis, with many people struggling to access life-saving essentials like food, water and healthcare. The Syrian refugee crisis began in 2011 as a result of a violent government crackdown on public demonstrations in support of a group of teenagers who were arrested for anti-government graffiti in the southern town of Daraa. Millions have been displaced have sought refuge in countries such as Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt.

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Rohingya Refugee Crisis

The crisis began in August 2017, when a massive wave of violence broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, forcing more than 700,000 people, half of them children, to seek refuge in Bangladesh. Since then, more than 900,000 are residing in in the Cox Bazar’s region of Bangladesh. The Cox Bazar region has became home to the world’s largest refugee camp. The crisis has been described as “the most urgent refugee emergency in the world”. The authorities in Bangladesh and Myanmar have held several discussions aimed at repatriating Rohingya refugees till date.

South Sudanese Refugee Crisis

South Sudanese refugee crisis is one of the largest refugee crises in the world, with over 2 million South Sudanese refugees and 1.87 million internally displaced people in South Sudan due to violent conflict throughout the country. The conflict, along with food insecurity and political instability, has forced millions of South Sudanese to seek refuge in neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conflict in South Sudan had begun in 2013.

Afghan Refugee Crisis

Afghanistan has been a source of significant refugee outflows for several decades due to conflict and political instability. With the withdrawal of international forces and the Taliban’s resurgence in recent years, the number of Afghan refugees has increased. Many Afghans have sought refuge in neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Iran, while others have attempted to reach Europe or other regions. As of 2021, there are 2.7 million Afghan refugees, which is the third-largest refugee group after Syrian and Venezuelan refugees. The crisis began in 1978 with the Saur Revolution which was followed by the 1979 Soviet invasion. These events marked the first major wave of international migration of Afghans to neighbouring countries Iran and Pakistan.

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Venezuelan Refugee Crisis

The Venezuelan refugee crisis is one of the largest recorded refugee crises in the Americas and the second-largest external displacement crisis in the world caused due to the economic and political crisis. The majority of Venezuelan refugees and migrants have sought shelter in neighbouring countries, including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, and Chile, placing considerable strain on those nations’ resources and infrastructure. More than 7.24 million people have fled Venezuela.