Country: World Source: Canadian Foodgrains Bank As World Refugee Day nears this June 20, a new report from the United Nations reveals the number of people forcibly displaced around the world has reached record highs.The UN Refugee Agency’s (UNHCR) just-released annual Global Trends Report states 123.2 million people globally were displaced by the end of 2024. This number – equivalent to three times the population of Canada or one in every 67 people globally – marks a decade of consecutive increases in displacements.Sudan alone accounted for 14.3 million displaced people at the end of 2024 – 3.5 million more people than 12 months prior. The war in Sudan is the world’s largest displacement crisis on record.“I’ve seen firsthand in South Sudan the strength of families who fled their homes in Sudan and have lost everything and the generosity of families who open their homes to displaced people even though they are struggling for food and basic necessities themselves,” says Stefan Epp-Koop, Canadian Foodgrains Bank senior humanitarian manager. “But as major donors of international aid pull back from their commitments to people living through humanitarian crises, and with no sign of conflicts subsiding, these numbers are going to continue to trend in the wrong direction.”While refugee returns in 2024 helped contribute to a one per cent decrease in the number of refugees globally, displacement has almost doubled globally over the last decade – largely driven by conflict and violence.Nearly 90 per cent of all internally displaced people (IDPs) were forced from their homes in 2024 due to conflict, with many individuals experiencing multiple displacements throughout the year, further hindering their ability to rebuild their lives.More than three-quarters of those internally displaced by conflict and violence were living in countries also highly vulnerable to climate-related hazards such as floods, droughts, and storms."Displacement isn’t just an issue for the humanitarian sector,” says Foodgrains Bank director of resources and public engagement Christina Philips, who recently visited a refugee camp in South Sudan and witnessed the devastation of families who had been displaced multiple times because of conflict and climate challenges.“The global community – all of us – must choose to put people first when we hear of these crises, especially when the numbers are so staggering. If we believe in human dignity, we must choose to see and respond to those who are the most vulnerable in our world.”Foodgrains Bank members and their local implementing partners are working with displaced people in 15 countries, including Haiti, Lebanon, and Sudan.- ENDS -About Canadian Foodgrains BankCanadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end hunger. In the 2023-24 budget year, the Foodgrains Bank provided $68.3 million of assistance for 974,683 people in 35 countries. Canadian Foodgrains Bank programs are undertaken with support from the Government of Canada provided through Global Affairs Canada. Assistance from the Foodgrains Bank is provided through its member agencies, which work with local partners in the developing world.About Foodgrains Bank’s work with refugees and internally displaced peopleMost of the humanitarian work Foodgrains Bank is funding is in contexts of displacement.Foodgrains Bank members and their local implementing partners are working with displaced people in 15 countries: Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, Haiti, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen.For example, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ministry of the Churches for Refugees and Emergencies (the local partner of Foodgrains Bank member Mennonite Central Committee Canada) is supporting 1,178 households (9,010 individuals) comprising of internally displaced people and host community members, with a three-year agriculture and livelihoods project to improve food security. The security situation in the eastern DRC has continued to deteriorate after ten years of conflict, mass population displacements and continued food insecurity challenges. To foster lasting peace and stability, it is essential that food security initiatives support both displaced people and host communities, as this helps reduce tensions, promote social cohesion, and ensure that all affected groups benefit from recovery efforts.For World Refugee Day media interviews with Canadian staff who recently returned from visiting a refugee camp in South Sudan, please contact:Laura Brookes, senior communications officerEmail: lbrookes@foodgrainsbank.caPh: 204-297-6124