Updated December 11, 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. For 2021, UNOCHA’s estimate has
migrants, often faced a different set of circumstances.
reached 235 million people. The United States is the single
Instead of choosing to leave their place of origin, they were
largest donor, consistently providing nearly one-third (more
forced to do so for reasons such as ethnic strife, violence,
than $9.5 billion in FY2020) of total humanitarian and
human rights violations, or natural disasters.
emergency food assistance through global accounts.
Figure 1. Refugees/Asylum Seekers and IDPs
Types of Crises and Affected Populations
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
reported that at the end of 2019 (latest global data available,
before the pandemic), 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. Natural and weather-
related disasters affect millions of people a year who often
require urgent and prolonged assistance due to sudden
events (such as earthquakes or storms) or protracted ones
(like drought conditions). On average, disasters displace 26
million people annually. 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
Source: Created by CRS using global data available from UNHCR.
well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion,
Notes: Smal est map values begin at 470,000.
nationality, or membership in a particular social or political
group. Refugees are unwil ing or unable to avail themselves of
U.S. Policy
the protection of their home government due to fears of
The United States is a major contributor to international
persecution. Once granted refugee status, a person has
humanitarian relief efforts. In the past five fiscal years
certain rights and protections under international law.
(FY2015–FY2019), the United States provided $44.0
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), who have been
billion in global humanitarian assistance with funding
forced from their homes, often for many of the same reasons
through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the
as refugees, but have not crossed an international border.
Department of State, the Department of Defense, and the
Department of Agriculture. Congress has given the
Stateless persons, who are not considered to be citizens of
President broad authority on humanitarian issues and
any state under national laws.
flexibility to respond to disasters with a wide range of
Vulnerable Migrants, who are often forced to flee
assistance. On a bipartisan basis, it has consistently
circumstances in their country of origin (such as generalized
supported humanitarian efforts as a means of responding to
violence, food insecurity, and environmental change) but do
natural disasters and conflict-induced crises in the short
not qualify as refugees.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

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 landscape. 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. Needs have increased significantly, while
Operational Constraints and Response. Displaced
border closures, quarantine orders, and other limitations on
populations in all areas of the world require protection, the
movement in place due to COVID-19 may affect population
basis of which may be found in international humanitarian
flows. In FY2020, the United States provided $908 million
law and reflected in humanitarian assistance provided by a
in supplemental 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 (including the pandemic), which
areas of conflict posing risks for those needing assistance
means lifesaving assistance and protection activities take
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 2021
governments and civil society, and creating resilience in
global appeal for $35 billion is the
vulnerable populations remain daily challenges.
highest ever and five times the 2010 global appeal. With an
additional $10.7 billion appeal for the COVID-19 response,
global needs for 2021 total more than $45 billion ($15
Rhoda Margesson, Specialist in International
billion more than in 2020.)
Humanitarian Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov

---

Overview of the Global Humanitarian and Displacement Crisis

IF10568


Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10568 · VERSION 12 · UPDATED

---