‘We tasted the horrors of war’: Stories of refugees who returned home
In 2025, nearly 15 million displaced people returned home, the largest surge of returns recorded by the UN. Refugees face challenges upon return, including violence and instability.
Intelligence analysis by Llama 3.3 70B
The world marks World Refugee Day as millions of displaced people return home, with many facing difficult conditions and uncertain futures.
Imagine having to leave your home and family because of war or violence, and then having to return to a place that is not safe or stable. This is what many refugees face when they return home, and it's a very difficult and scary experience.
Analysis
The Scale of Displacement: The UNHCR reports that at least 117.8 million people, or one in 70 individuals worldwide, remain forcibly displaced. This includes refugees, asylum seekers, Palestinians under UNRWA's mandate, internally displaced people, and others in need of international protection. The majority of displaced people, 68.6 million, are internally displaced within their own countries due to conflict or other crises.
The number of refugees under the UNHCR mandate is 28.5 million, with 9 million asylum seekers waiting for a decision while seeking protection in another country. Additionally, 7.2 million people are in need of international protection, and 6 million are Palestinian refugees under UNRWA’s mandate.
The Challenges of Return: Despite the desire of many refugees to return home, the conditions for refugee returns are far from ideal. Many people return to violence and instability, raising questions about the dangers facing those who go back to their country of origin. In 2025, nearly 15 million displaced people returned, with the majority being internally displaced persons who returned to their homes within their own countries.
However, the returns were highly concentrated, with almost 98 percent of the 4.36 million refugees who returned home going back to just five countries: Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, and Ukraine. The returns have been driven by various factors, including restrictive government policies in host countries and the desire of refugees to rebuild their lives.
The Human Cost: The story of refugees returning home is not just about numbers, but about the human cost of displacement and return. Many refugees face significant challenges upon return, including lack of access to basic services such as healthcare and education. The story of Maryam, a 30-year-old widow who returned to Afghanistan with her two sons, highlights the difficulties faced by many refugees. Despite having kidney problems, Maryam’s worst pain is watching her 15-year-old son look for work instead of going to school, and the unspoken dream of her son pains her more than any illness.
Key points
- Nearly 15 million displaced people returned home in 2025
- The majority of returns were to Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, and Ukraine
- Refugees face significant challenges upon return, including lack of access to basic services
If the international community can provide adequate support and protection to refugees, it may be possible to create a more stable and secure environment for them to return to. This could involve providing access to basic services such as healthcare and education, as well as supporting the reconstruction of infrastructure and communities.
The large-scale returns of refugees to countries with ongoing conflicts and instability may lead to further destabilization and violence. The lack of access to basic services and the challenges faced by refugees upon return may also exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, leading to more suffering and displacement.
