Shafaq News – Geneva

The number of international migrants worldwide reached 281 million in 2020, equivalent to 3.6% of the global population, according to a report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

International Migrants Day, observed on December 18, raises awareness of the rights, contributions, and challenges of migrants worldwide.

The report noted that 146 million were men and 135 million were women, including 28 million children, representing roughly 1.4% of the world’s child population.

Data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) indicate that by June 2025, there were 117.3 million forcibly displaced people globally. They were driven from their homes by persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, or events seriously disrupting public order. This total includes 67.8 million internally displaced persons, 42.5 million refugees, and 8.42 million asylum seekers seeking international protection.

The IOM report highlights that forced displacement has steadily increased over the past decade, driven by war, political instability, and natural disasters. By the end of 2022, more than half of the world’s refugees were hosted in just 10 countries, with Turkiye hosting the largest number for the seventh consecutive year—around 3.6 million refugees, mostly Syrians under international protection.

According to the OECD report, while permanent migration flows to member countries slightly declined in 2024 following the pandemic, they remained above historical averages.

During the same year, 3 million new asylum applications were submitted to OECD countries, marking the highest number in the organization’s history. More than half of the applications were lodged in the United States, with notable increases also observed in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Venezuela, Colombia, Syria, Afghanistan, and India were the leading countries of origin for asylum seekers. The OECD report also noted that several countries experiencing high migration flows have implemented policy changes aimed at limiting immigration.