Millions flee their homes

WAR, violence, persecution, human rights violations and other factors caused nearly three million people to flee their homes last year, even though the Covid-19 crisis restricted movement worldwide, the UN refugee agency has said.

In its Global Trends report published yesterday, UNHCR said the world’s cumulative number of displaced people rose to 82.4 million – roughly the population of Germany and a new post Second World War record. Filippo Grandi, the UN’s high commissioner for refugees, said conflict and the fallout from climate change was a key driver.