Updated September 18, 2020
Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis
Even before the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Some populations moved voluntarily, while others had to
pandemic, the global humanitarian and displacement crisis
flee. Economic migrants, who often leave poverty and
was unprecedented. The U.N. Office for the Coordination
unemployment to seek better livelihood opportunities or
of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) anticipated that in
family reunification numbered approximately 272 million
2020 more than 168 million people worldwide would
in 2019 (roughly 3.5% of the world’s population). Refugees
require humanitarian assistance and protection due to
and others forcibly displaced, including vulnerable
conflict and disaster. The United States is the single largest
migrants, often faced a different set of circumstances.
donor, consistently providing nearly one-third (more than
Instead of choosing to leave their place of origin, they were
$9.5 billion in FY2020) of total humanitarian and
forced to do so for reasons such as ethnic strife, violence,
emergency food assistance through global accounts.
human rights violations, or natural disasters.
Types of Crises and Affected Populations
Figure 1. Refugees/Asylum Seekers and IDPs
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
reported that at the end of 2019 more than 79.5 million
people were forcibly displaced worldwide due to armed
conflict, widespread or indiscriminate violence, or human
rights violations. Those displaced included 26 million
refugees, 4.2 million asylum seekers, 45.7 million
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and 3.6 million
Venezuelans displaced abroad. UNHCR estimated that a
further 10 million people remained stateless. Millions of
people a year are also affected by natural and weather-
related disasters and often require prolonged and urgent
assistance. These events may be sudden (such as
earthquakes or storms) or protracted (like drought
conditions). On average, 26 million people are displaced
annually due to disasters. In 2019, more than two-thirds
(68%) of all refugees and Venezuelans displaced abroad
came from five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan,
South Sudan, and Burma.
Key Populations of Concern
Asylum-seekers, who flee their home country, seek
sanctuary in another state where they apply for asylum (i.e.,
the right to be recognized as a refugee). They may receive
legal protection and assistance while their formal status is
determined.
Refugees, who have fled their country of origin because of a
well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion,
Source: Created by CRS using global data available from UNHCR.
nationality, or membership in a particular social or political
Notes: Smal est map values begin at 470,000.
group. Refugees are unwil ing or unable to avail themselves of
the protection of their home government due to fears of
U.S. Policy
persecution. Once granted refugee status, a person has
The United States is a major contributor to international
certain rights and protections under international law.
humanitarian relief efforts. In the past five fiscal years
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have been
(FY2015–FY2019), the United States provided $44.0
forced from their homes, often for many of the same reasons
billion in global humanitarian assistance with funding
as refugees, but have not crossed an international border.
through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the
Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the
Stateless persons, who are not considered to be citizens of
Department of Agriculture. Congress has given the
any state under national laws.
President broad authority on humanitarian issues and
Vulnerable Migrants, who are often forced to flee
flexibility to respond to disasters with a wide range of
circumstances in their country of origin (such as generalized
assistance. On a bipartisan basis, it has consistently
violence, food insecurity, and environmental change) but do
supported humanitarian efforts as a means of responding to
not qualify as refugees.
natural disasters and conflict-induced crises in the short
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Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis
term, mitigating humanitarian impacts, and promoting a
Protracted Displacement. Refugees and IDPs may be
U.S. presence.
separated from their homes for long periods, particularly in
In practice, the provision of U.S. humanitarian assistance is
instances of large-scale, protracted crises or ongoing armed
typically case- and time-specific and may include assistance
conflicts where political solutions prove elusive. The global
through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms and
population of those forcibly displaced has increased by 75%
humanitarian partners; protection activities for vulnerable
in the past two decades, and on average, a person is
populations; support for countries and communities hosting
displaced as a refugee for 20 years. Displaced populations
the displaced; encouraging donor contributions; and
are often not confined to camps, placing a heavy burden on
building response capacity. The plethora of humanitarian
governments and host communities. National governments
emergencies, including food security challenges, and
carry primary responsibility for all displaced people in their
human displacement worldwide will likely continue to
territory; however, in many cases they are unable or
receive the attention of the Administration and Congress.
unwilling to fulfill this obligation, complicating the
The Administration’s FY2021 budget request for global
humanitarian response. In 2019, some of the largest
humanitarian assistance was nearly $6.27 billion, a decrease
numbers of IDPs were in the Democratic Republic of the
of 35% from the FY2020 appropriated amount of $9.5
Congo, Syria, and Sudan. The top countries hosting
billion. Congress has continued to support humanitarian
refugees included Turkey, Colombia, Pakistan, and Uganda.
assistance through appropriations legislation. FY2021
Of the millions of global refugees, less than 1% of cases are
appropriations bills, as passed in the House (H.R. 7608),
submitted for resettlement, although this remains an
total $9.6 billion for global humanitarian accounts and
important tool of refugee protection and response.
specify additional funding for the COVID-19 humanitarian-
related response.
Mixed Migration. An emerging challenge stems from
“mixed migration” where different groups of people—such
International Humanitarian Compacts
as economic migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless
Building on several 2016 international humanitarian meetings,
persons, trafficked persons, and unaccompanied children,
in 2018, U.N. member states negotiated two global compacts,
usually in a mix of nationalities or ethnic groups—travel
which were adopted under separate processes—the Global
the same route and use the same modes of transportation.
Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
Many of these individuals lack required documentation, and
(GCM) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). The
may use unauthorized border crossings, often with the
United States ended its participation in the GCM in
assistance of smugglers. The lines of distinction within
December 2017 and in the GCR in November 2018.
these groups have caused some confusion and raised
questions about determination of status and protection
Selected Issues and Challenges
required. Even if they do not qualify as refugees, a
significant number of those fleeing may need humanitarian
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19
assistance, international protection, and opportunities to
emerged as a pandemic in early 2020 and added a
regularize their status. The status of a person may change
complicated layer to the global humanitarian crisis. In
en route, but often the reasons that drive an individual’s
general, vulnerable, displaced populations live in conditions
decision to move are a complex mix of factors. States
that make them particularly susceptible to COVID-19 and
concerned about the economic burden of those seeking help
present significant challenges to response and containment.
and the potential security issues resulting from uncontrolled
Across humanitarian settings, the humanitarian community
migration (raised in part because of the threat of terrorism)
has prioritized capacity-building support for hospitals as
insist on stricter enforcement of asylum and immigration
well as health, water, sanitation, and emergency food
policies, while others are concerned about international
interventions for vulnerable populations, including host
protection of those on the move.
communities, as well as information and awareness
campaigns. Border closures, quarantine orders, and other
Operational Constraints and Response. Displaced
limitations on movement in place due to COVID-19 may
populations in all areas of the world require protection, the
affect population flows. As of August 2020, the United
basis of which may be found in international humanitarian
States had provided $908 million in supplemental
law and reflected in humanitarian assistance provided by a
humanitarian COVID-19 assistance.
variety of actors and organizations. Local, regional, and
national authorities also often have a role in the provision of
Emergence of New Crises and Underfunding. A major
assistance, law enforcement, and access control. Security
challenge facing the humanitarian community is the
concerns can severely constrain humanitarian operations in
emergence of new crises, many of which may result in
areas of conflict posing risks for those needing assistance
lifesaving assistance and protection activities taking
and humanitarian personnel. Although preventing
precedence over long-term investments and the search for
displacement and creating solutions for those already
durable solutions. Chronic underfunding of existing U.N.
displaced are bookends to the problem, sustaining a
and other humanitarian appeals means that urgent needs
humanitarian response, building capacity within
frequently outpace available budgets for operations.
UNOCHA’s 2020
governments and civil society, and creating resilience in
global appeal for $29.4 billion was the
vulnerable populations remain daily challenges.
highest ever: nearly four times the 2010 global appeal. With
an additional $10.7 billion for the COVID-19 response, the
revised global appeal totals more than $40 billion.
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
Humanitarian Policy
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Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis
IF10568
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