A record-breaking 83.4 million people were living in internal displacement within their own country by the end of 2024 – the highest figure ever recorded, and more than double the number from just six years ago.
This staggering number – equivalent to twice the population of Canada – was revealed in the just-released Global Report on Internal Displacement 2025, published by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). People who have been forced from their homes often struggle to access basic services and experience high rates of hunger.
Canadian Foodgrains Bank senior humanitarian manager Stefan Epp-Koop warns that we will see this crisis worsen as humanitarian aid to displaced populations continues to decline, depriving families of essential, life-saving resources like food.
“In places like South Sudan, I’ve listened to parents who don’t know how they’ll feed their children tomorrow, and families who’ve known nothing but displacement from violent conflict, climate, and economic crisis.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear these stories knowing their struggles will only intensify with the suspension of USAID and as other governments pull back from humanitarian support. While we are grateful for the unwavering commitment of our partners in helping displaced families who were forced to flee their homes, the world must do more if we are to turn the tide on these tragic statistics.”
Nearly 90 per cent of all internally displaced people (IDPs), or 73.5 million people globally, were forced from their homes in 2024 due to conflict and violence. Conflict is the leading cause of both displacement and hunger today, and in many situations, people had to flee multiple times as areas of conflict shifted, increasing their vulnerability and impeding their efforts to rebuild their lives.
Sudan alone accounted for 11.6 million IDPs – the highest number ever recorded for one country. In Gaza, nearly the entire population remains displaced as conflict continues. Together, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, and Sudan account for nearly 60 per cent of the global total of conflict displacements.
More than three-quarters of people internally displaced by conflict and violence as of the end of 2024 were living in countries with high vulnerability to climate-related events, such as flooding and drought, making it more difficult for people to recover from the compounding nature of crises.
“Displacement is no longer a temporary crisis; for millions, it’s an ongoing, worsening everyday reality,” says Foodgrains Bank executive director Andy Harrington, who also travelled to South Sudan in March to visit families displaced by the violence and hunger crisis in Sudan and is urging the world to step up its support.
“The cost of inaction is growing, and it’s the displaced who are bearing the greatest burden. This year’s figures should serve as a wake-up call, urging the global community to demonstrate true leadership through tangible political and financial commitments to address this crisis.”
At Foodgrains Bank, 71 per cent of our programming is in response to conflict, and the displacement that follows. Our members and their local partner organizations are supporting internally displaced people in many countries and territories, including Gaza, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, and Ukraine.
