Global internal displacement hits record 83.4 million

Though data remains limited in Uganda, thousands continue to be displaced by floods, hailstorms, landslides, and land-related disputes

ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | The number of internally displaced people around the world reached 83.4 million in 2024, a significant increase from 75.9 million in the previous year, as conflict, climate change and political instability deepened vulnerabilities in fragile countries.

This figure, the highest since records began, reflects a sharp increase in forced movements within national borders, according to the latest Global Report on Internal Displacement published on May 13 by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

The Geneva-based IDMC defines internal displacement as people forced to flee their homes but who remain within their own countries, often trapped in limbo for years. Unlike refugees, they receive no international protection or status under international law. The latest data presents a stark snapshot of global instability and offers a warning about the long-term consequences of inaction.

Wars and natural disasters

Of the total number of those displaced, 73.5 million—or nearly 90%—were uprooted by conflict and violence. This marks an 80% increase over the past six years. A staggering 20.1 million new conflict displacements were recorded in 2024 alone, with Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) accounting for nearly half. Sudan now hosts 11.6million, the largest displaced population in a single country.

Sudan’s protracted civil conflict, now in its second year, has not only decimated lives and infrastructure but has also destabilized the wider region. A nother ten countries now host more than 3 million internally displaced people due to violence—double the number from just four years ago.

Natural disasters, too, left a bigger mark. In 2024, they triggered a record 45.8 million displacements—more than double the average annual figure of the past decade. Though most people were able to return home relatively quickly, 9.8 million remained displaced at year-end.

Cyclones accounted for 54% of disaster-related movements, followed closely by floods at 42%. Thirty-nine countries recorded their highest disaster displacement figures ever, as climate change intensified the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.

“The cost of inaction is rising, and displaced people are paying the price,” said Alexandra Bilak, the Director of the IDMC, adding that: “Internal displacement is where conflict, poverty and climate collide, hitting the most vulnerable the hardest.”

Africa bears the brunt

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicentre of the crisis. In 2024, the region accounted for 19.3 million new internal displacements—more than any other sub-region. The cumulative total of IDPs in the region reached 38.8 million, nearly half the global figure.

Sudan and the DRC alone were responsible for nearly 80% of the sub-region’s conflict-related displacements. Disasters also played a growing role, triggering 7.8 million movements in sub-Saharan Africa, largely due to floods in West and Central Africa and the White Nile basin. Chad reported the highest disaster-related figures, while southern Africa struggled with severe droughts, now more easily tracked due to improved data availability.

Notably, the Horn of Africa saw fewer disaster-triggered displacements, but many who had fled in previous years remained uprooted. Across the continent, conflict zones often overlapped with areas affected by environmental hazards, compounding the hardship for already-vulnerable populations.

In Uganda, although data remains limited, thousands continue to be displaced by floods, hailstorms, landslides, and land-related disputes. While annual disaster displacements fell from 130,000 in 2019 to around 40,000 in recent years, the threat remains elevated. The country has experienced a notable rise in intense rainfall over the past three decades, increasing the risk of future displacement.

Fragility without borders

Globally, displacement patterns are becoming increasingly complex. Of the 163 countries and territories reporting disaster displacements in 2024, more than half also experienced displacement due to conflict. In many cases, the same individuals were displaced multiple times within the year.

The IDMC’s methodology counts each movement—not each person—meaning the same individual may appear more than once. This is important for planning, as it reveals the cyclical and protracted nature of displacement in many fragile contexts.

Of particular concern is the overlap between conflict zones and areas vulnerable to climate change. More than three-quarters of people internally displaced by violence in 2024 were in countries classified as having high or very high climate vulnerability.

In the United States, which accounted for nearly a quarter of global disaster displacement, pre-emptive evacuations during hurricanes Helene and Milton, among others, helped prevent loss of life. Yet, the IDMC warns that even such evacuations can lead to long-term displacement without adequate recovery support.

Possible solutions

“Internal displacement rarely makes the headlines, but for those living it, the suffering can last for years. This year’s figures must act as a wake-up call for global solidarity. For how much longer will the number of people affected by internal displacement be allowed to grow and grow, as a result of a lack of ownership and leadership?” said Jan Egeland, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Egeland added: “Every time humanitarian funding gets cut, another displaced person loses access to food, medicine, safety and hope. Over the past year, I’ve met with internally displaced families in DR Congo, Palestine, and Sudan, and listened to them speak about the devastating impact of displacement on their lives and their hopes for the future.”

The IDMC insists that the rising tide of internal displacement is more than a humanitarian issue—it is a development and political challenge.

“The cost of inaction is rising, and displaced people are paying the price,” said Bilak. “The data is clear, it’s now time to use it to prevent displacement, support recovery, and build resilience. Resolving displacement requires both immediate efforts to help people who have lost everything and investments to address underlying vulnerabilities, so people don’t become displaced in the first place.”

“These figures are a clear warning: without bold and coordinated action, the number of people displaced within their own countries will continue to grow rapidly,” noted Amy Pope, the Director General of the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).

She added: “The IDMC report is also a call for preventive action, to use data and other tools to anticipate displacement before it happens, and for the humanitarian and development sectors to work together with governments to develop longer-term solutions to prevent displacement.”