Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced a complex humanitarian crisis, with children bearing the heaviest burden. Conflict, natural disasters, and poverty have driven a hunger emergency, while a deadly cholera outbreak has sickened over 80,000 people. Families are facing rising food insecurity in parts of the Upper Nile state, and children are at greatest risk of malnutrition, disease, and displacement.

Adding to this crisis, the conflict in neighboring Sudan has forced hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees into South Sudan since May 2023.

South Sudan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

Explore facts, and frequently asked questions about the South Sudan crisis, and learn how you can help impacted communities.

• Fast facts: South Sudan crisis
• What is the current humanitarian situation in South Sudan?
• How is the South Sudan crisis affecting children?
• What is World Vision doing to help impacted families in South Sudan?
• Where is World Vision working in South Sudan?
• How can I help the children and families affected by the crisis in South Sudan?

Fast facts: South Sudan crisis

• South Sudan became the world’s youngest nation and Africa’s 54th country on July 9, 2011.
• Conflicts in 2013 and 2016 undermined early progress, worsening humanitarian needs, according to the World Bank.
• Four consecutive years of record flooding destroyed livelihoods, killed livestock, and displaced families, have contributed to the hunger crisis.
• An estimated 7.7 million people were projected to face crisis-level food insecurity between April and July 2025. Of those, an estimated 2.3 million are children under 5.
• A widespread cholera outbreak that began in late 2024 has spread across 17 of 18 states, killing more than 700 people.
• The war in Sudan has displaced hundreds of thousands of people into South Sudan, compounding hunger and health emergencies.

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What is the current humanitarian situation in South Sudan?

South Sudan is facing overlapping emergencies that are pushing millions of people to the brink of survival. Women and children bear the greatest burden of violence, displacement, disease outbreaks, and food insecurity.

• Cholera emergency: Since late 2024 and accelerating in 2025, cholera has spread across multiple states, especially in flood-affected and displacement sites.
• Conflict spillover: The war in Sudan has significantly aggravated South Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, triggering a wave of refugees and returning citizens seeking safety within South Sudan’s borders.
• Extreme weather: Successive years of severe drought, followed by floods, have resulted in loss of lives, crops, and livestock, deepening hunger and displacement.

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How is the South Sudan crisis affecting children?

Children are most vulnerable in this crisis:

• Over 2 million children under 5 have been at risk of acute malnutrition, including severe wasting, in 2025.
• Cholera, malaria, and other preventable diseases spread quickly in crowded displacement camps.
• Conflict and repeated displacement keep children out of school, disrupting their stability and safety.
• Some children are exposed to recruitment by armed groups, while others face continued displacement and loss, or early marriage, as families struggle to survive.

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What is World Vision doing to help impacted families in South Sudan?

World Vision has been serving in the area that is present-day South Sudan since 1989, standing alongside children and families through decades of conflict, hunger, and displacement. Today, our staff there are leading the South Sudan humanitarian response, providing lifesaving aid and long-term recovery assistance.

In 2024, World Vision reached more than 3.1 million people, including 2.6 million vulnerable children, with emergency food assistance, clean water, health and nutrition services, safe sanitation, shelter, education, and child protection.

Our response includes:

• Delivering emergency food aid and food security programs to fight hunger and malnutrition.
• Supplying access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services to prevent the spread of disease.
• Supporting health and nutrition programs for mothers and children.
• Strengthening protection and peacebuilding programs to safeguard children and empower communities.

World Vision remains steadfast in our commitment to the people of South Sudan, aiming to improve the lives of 3 million children by the end of 2025.

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Where is World Vision working in South Sudan?

World Vision has a direct presence in 27 counties across South Sudan and, through partners, an additional 22 counties that cover the country’s most impoverished and crisis-affected regions.

We are also supporting refugees and returnees from the Sudan crisis, particularly in Upper Nile and Greater Bahr El Ghazal, including border areas. By working with donors, local organizations, and communities, we help families meet their urgent needs while building resilience against future shocks such as flooding, conflict, displacement, and economic crisis.

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How can I help children and families affected by the crisis in South Sudan?

• Pray: Lift up children, families, and humanitarian workers who come to their aid.
• Give: Help meet the most urgent needs of children and families suffering from the hunger crisis.

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Ebola, or Ebola virus disease, is a highly contagious and potentially deadly illness caused by ebolaviruses. It has gained worldwide attention because of severe outbreaks in Central and West Africa. While Ebola can devastate families and communities, it is possible to reduce its spread and impact through prevention, early detection, and coordinated efforts.

Today, Ebola remains a threat. In September 2025, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared its 16th recorded outbreak in Kasai Province, with confirmed cases and deaths reported. This highlights the importance of global awareness and preparedness against Ebola.

Ebola virus disease: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Ebola
• What is Ebola?
• Current outbreak in DRC’s Kasai Province (September 2025)
• What are the symptoms of Ebola?
• Is Ebola treatable?
• How does World Vision respond to Ebola outbreaks?
• What was World Vision’s response to the Ebola outbreaks in 2014?
• How can I help Ebola survivors and people affected by viruses?

Fast facts: Ebola virus disease

• Ebolavirus is highly contagious and can cause Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever.
• The disease is initially transmitted to humans from wild animals and subsequently spreads by human-to-human transmission through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected people. It can also be transmitted through contact with surfaces contaminated with these fluids.
• In 1976, public health officials identified ebolaviruses during two successive outbreaks of lethal hemorrhagic fever in distinct regions of Central Africa. The initial outbreak occurred in a village near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), giving the virus its name. The second outbreak occurred an estimated 500 miles away in what is now South Sudan.
• Ebola outbreaks primarily occur in Central and West Africa, with occasional cases in other regions.
• The largest outbreak took place in West Africa (2014–2016), with more recent outbreaks confirmed in DRC (2018–2020), Uganda (2022–2023), and currently in DRC’s Kasai Province (2025).

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What is Ebola?

Ebola virus disease, formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare and often deadly disease in humans caused by infection with one of four ebolavirus strains: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, or Taï Forest.

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Current outbreak in DRC’s Kasai Province (September 2025)

The 16th recorded Ebola outbreak in the DRC was declared on September 4, 2025, in Kasai Province.

• Cases and deaths: As of early September, 32 suspected or confirmed cases and 15 deaths, including healthcare workers, have been reported.
• Virus strain: The highly virulent Zaire strain has been confirmed.
• Case in focus: A 34-year-old pregnant woman hospitalized on August 20, 2025, tragically died five days later, prompting the investigation.
• Global response:
  • World Vision’s team in DRC, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scaling up surveillance, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.
  • World Vision is working with partners and local health authorities in eastern DRC to monitor the situation, support community awareness, and build on past Ebola response efforts.

“Ebola is a deadly disease that devastates families and communities, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of life in Kasai,” said Aline Napon, National Director for World Vision in the DRC. “Ebola is highly contagious with potentially high fatality rates. We have done a lot of work in response to past outbreaks to limit their spread and reduce transmission. Ebola creates a great deal of fear in communities, and responding to it can be challenging for under-resourced health services and community health workers.”

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What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Symptoms of Ebola virus disease include high body temperatures, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and both internal and external bleeding, such as from gums and stool.

It can be challenging to distinguish Ebola from other diseases, such as malaria, typhoid fever, and meningitis. Symptoms typically appear from 2 to 21 days after contracting the disease. People who have contracted the disease can’t transmit it to others until symptoms appear.

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Is Ebola treatable?

While there is no proven, licensed treatment for Ebola, early symptom management and intravenous fluid hydration can improve survival rates. Ongoing research efforts are exploring potential treatments, including antiviral drugs and immunotherapies.

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How does World Vision respond to Ebola outbreaks?

World Vision responds swiftly to Ebola outbreaks by educating affected communities, supporting healthcare workers, providing child protection and psychosocial support, ensuring access to clean water and sanitation, and delivering emergency relief. We aim to help communities stay safe and resilient in the face of this deadly virus. A few of our key programming areas include:

Community education: We equip communities with information about Ebola prevention, transmission, and the importance of early detection. We help raise awareness to ensure people know how to protect themselves from the virus.

World Vision’s Channels of Hope programming: We train and equip religious leaders to share accurate information about Ebola prevention and treatment, dispel myths and misconceptions, and promote safe practices within their congregations and communities. By working with these local faith leaders, who have a great deal of influence because of how much their communities trust them, World Vision seeks to enhance awareness, reduce stigmatization, and encourage early detection and treatment of Ebola cases. The collaborative approach between faith-based organizations, communities, and health agencies has played a vital role in controlling the spread of Ebola and providing support to affected individuals and families.

Child protection: We offer psychosocial support to children who may have lost family members or been affected by the outbreak. We work to keep children safe and emotionally supported.

Healthcare support: We supply healthcare workers with medical supplies, protective gear, and training so they can safely care for Ebola patients.

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What was World Vision’s response to the Ebola outbreaks in 2014?

World Vision swiftly responded to the 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in Sierra Leone. We did this through a comprehensive effort to protect children and their families. With a strong focus on health and safety, awareness and prevention, safe burials, and social and economic recovery, World Vision played a crucial role in combating the epidemic. Our initiatives ranged from providing personal protective equipment and hygiene kits to launching extensive education campaigns and training local leaders on virus prevention. Through our efforts, we successfully prevented Ebola-related deaths among the children and families we supported. And we contributed significantly to the containment of the outbreak. Our approach encompassed immediate medical needs, long-term recovery, and community resilience.

When Ebola struck Sierra Leone in 2014, World Vision was already working in 25 program areas. We were serving an estimated 58,000 children and their families. Building on 20 years of community development in Sierra Leone, we joined communities, partner agencies, and every level of government in the battle against Ebola.

During the emergency response, World Vision reached 1.6 million people through these and other initiatives:

Health and safety

• World Vision delivered 5.4 million personal protective equipment items. These included suits, gloves, face masks, and goggles to Sierra Leone hospitals and health centers, and gave hygiene kits to schools. Long-time World Vision partner McKesson, one of the largest healthcare service companies in the U.S., donated 200 pallets of medical relief supplies to help meet Sierra Leone’s needs for five months.

Awareness and prevention

• World Vision–trained staff organized massive awareness, prevention, and education campaigns to protect children from the disease through radio and house-to-house information sharing.
• Staff trained more than 2,000 influential local leaders — including Christian and Muslim clerics, traditional faith healers, and frontline community health workers — to deliver messages on Ebola awareness and prevention. “When so many communities face such terrible suffering, the church must be there to combat fear, stigma, isolation, and hopelessness with both love and tangible support,” said Bruno Col, then­–World Vision communications director in West Africa.

Safe and dignified burials

• World Vision and two other aid agencies organized and trained 800 burial teams. These teams carried out 29,201 burials to prevent the spread of the disease while ensuring families had the opportunity to mourn and respecting their cultural beliefs.
• World Vision and its humanitarian partners, along with burial workers like 53-year-old Ebola survivor Maseray Kamara, were awarded the 2015 Bond International Humanitarian Award. The award recognized the courage and care of those on the front lines of Ebola prevention during the outbreak. “This recognition is a tremendous encouragement after all the suffering we have seen in Sierra Leone and across West Africa,” said Grace Kargbo, a World Vision Sierra Leone burial team manager at the time. “These brave souls have received little recognition at home and abroad. In fact, they have often been shunned, ostracized, vilified because they are burial workers.”

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How can I help Ebola survivors and people affected by viruses?

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those threatened by Ebola outbreaks and the spread of other diseases and infections.
• Sponsor a child as a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need.

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Jonathan Bundu, Karen Homer, Chris Huber, Heather Klinger, Denise C. Koenig, Sahr Ngaujah, and Sevil Omer, all of World Vision, contributed to this article.

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Famine conditions confirmed in North Darfur, Sudan. Help now:

The conflict in Sudan has resulted in one of the world’s most devastating humanitarian crises. Since fighting began in April 2023, 14.3 million people have been forced to flee their communities, making this the largest displacement crisis globally. As armed violence continues, Sudan faces a severe hunger emergency and a deadly cholera outbreak, with children bearing the brunt of the suffering.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Sudan are facing life-threatening food shortages. Famine conditions have been confirmed in a displacement camp in North Darfur that shelters an estimated 400,000 people.

 Sudan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Sudan crisis
• What is the current situation in Sudan?
• Is Sudan at risk of widespread famine?
• What is the impact on women and girls?
• In what ways has the conflict in Sudan affected its people?
• How has the conflict impacted children in Sudan?
• How is the cholera outbreak affecting Sudan’s children and families?
• How many people has World Vision supported in the crisis in Sudan?
• Where has World Vision worked in Sudan, and for how long?
• How can I help children and families affected by the crisis in Sudan?

Fast facts: Sudan crisis

• Mass displacement: As of December 2024,  14.3 million people have fled their homes due to the widespread violence in Sudan.
• Acute food insecurity: Over half the population of Sudan (24.6 million people) faced crisis or worse levels of food insecurity between December 2024 and May.
• Extreme hunger: Parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, are experiencing famine conditions.
• Risk of famine: The Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC) warns that other regions may face famine without swift humanitarian aid. Currently, at least 638,000 people are on the brink of famine.
• Health emergency: Disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, measles, and dengue fever, are rising due to disrupted health services.
• Education loss: With most schools closed or struggling to reopen, more than 90% of Sudan’s 19 million school-aged children have no access to formal education, jeopardizing their future.
• Humanitarian response: Since April 2023, World Vision has provided emergency assistance to more than 3.2 million people, primarily women and children, in Sudan and the region.

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What is the current situation in Sudan?

Since April 15, 2023, conflict has triggered the world’s worst displacement crisis and the largest hunger crisis, affecting Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad, reports the World Food Programme.

“With refugee families at the Sudan–Chad border, I witnessed some of the worst conditions for children’s survival that I have ever seen,” said Edgar Sandoval Sr., president and CEO of World Vision, who visited in May 2024. “The heat is unbearable at nearly 110 degrees. There is no water. There is no food. There is no shelter. You find all the things that you would want to run away from, and yet people are running toward them. So, you can only imagine the violence and the hunger that they’re running away from in Sudan. The suffering and desperation are at a massive scale, yet this is a crisis you hear almost nothing about. It deserves headlines. It deserves prime time. We know these children are equally precious to God. They deserve our attention. They deserve our help.”

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Is Sudan at risk of widespread famine?

Famine conditions have been confirmed in North Darfur’s Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, where ongoing fighting has intensified.

Sudan’s protracted conflict, combined with climate shocks and below-average precipitation for the third season, has caused near-total harvest failures, worsening famine conditions.

The last famine was declared in East Africa in South Sudan in 2017, and before that, in Somalia in 2011. In both situations, hundreds of thousands of lives were lost, and children suffered long-term impacts from malnutrition and loss of agricultural outputs.

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What is the impact on women and girls?

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the crisis. Millions of women and girls in Sudan are at risk of various forms of violence, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse — with displaced, refugee, and migrant women and girls facing heightened danger. 

Widespread shortages of food and essential resources leave women struggling to provide for their families. Reports of violence are rising, and girls face increased risks of child marriage, hazardous work, and exploitation.

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In what ways has the conflict in Sudan affected its people?

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has had devastating effects on its people, with the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting that 1 in 2 people in Sudan require humanitarian aid. Millions of people have been displaced and face immense uncertainty. Even before the conflict, many people faced hunger daily as a result of climate shocks, rising food prices, and political unrest.

The ongoing conflict has intensified pre-existing challenges, including:

• Acute shortages of food, water, medicines, and fuel, with prices of essential items and transportation sharply increasing.
• Limited or no access to healthcare services. Armed hostilities have affected a majority of health facilities in conflict zones, rendering them non-operational, and the remaining facilities are stretched beyond capacity.
• Forced displacement in various states, including Khartoum, Northern, Blue Nile, North Kordofan, North Darfur, West Darfur, and South Darfur. Many from these areas have fled to the neighboring countries of the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan.
• Sexual violence, which has been reported with increasing frequency. Protection of children and women is an urgent priority.
• Fear and insecurity. Armed combatants have been occupying homes and reportedly some hospitals and schools, attacking water and electrical infrastructure.

“This is confirmation of our worst fears coming to fruition — that thousands of people, including vulnerable children, will die from starvation,” said Sandoval Sr. “My prayer is that this will be a wake-up call for the world to pay attention to what’s happening in Sudan and mobilize resources to help. We are calling for unhindered, consistent access for humanitarian workers to get aid to the people who most need it. We must act now.”

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How has the conflict impacted children in Sudan?

Children are shouldering the heaviest burden of this devastating crisis, facing violence and hunger that threaten their lives and future opportunities. More children are displaced in Sudan than anywhere else in the world.

World Vision is deeply concerned about the profound long-term effects of hunger and food insecurity on the physical and cognitive development of Sudan’s children.

This multifaceted crisis also heightens protection concerns, especially for girls who are increasingly at risk of sexual exploitation, abuse, hazardous work, and child marriage. The ongoing violence has placed children at risk, forcing them and their families to flee from conflict and creating uncertainty about their future.

“When I get back home, I may not find anything to eat. This is frustrating me. I pray that the conflict ends soon so that we can live in peace and get back to school. I have dreams of becoming a doctor someday. We ask aid agencies to support us,” said 15-year-old Amani, who has been displaced due to ongoing hostilities.

The hunger crisis and ongoing conflict have also exacerbated one of the world’s worst education crises, where more than 90% of Sudan’s 19 million school-age children lack access to formal education. This disruption isn’t just a short-term problem; it poses long-term risks, potentially leading to a generational crisis. And tragically, many children may not make it to school age.

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How is the cholera outbreak affecting Sudan’s children and families?

Millions of Sudanese children are at grave risk due to a deadly and rapidly spreading cholera outbreak. Since January 2025, more than 700 people have died — including children — and over 32,000 suspected cases have been reported. The disease now affects 17 of Sudan’s 18 states, compounding the suffering of families already devastated by conflict, hunger, forced displacement, and a collapsing healthcare system.

Among the most vulnerable are the 3.2 million malnourished children under 5. With weakened immune systems, these children face a significantly higher risk of dying from cholera and other preventable waterborne diseases. The rainy season has accelerated the spread, especially in overcrowded sites hosting internally displaced people and refugees.

“This is not just a public health crisis — it is a crisis of childhood, of dignity, and of survival,” said Simon Mane, World Vision’s national director in Sudan. “Children are dying from preventable diseases because we lack adequate resources to respond.”

World Vision is responding with access to lifesaving water, sanitation, and health (WASH) services, despite limited resources. In the hardest-hit states of Blue Nile, Red Sea, East Darfur, South Kordofan, and South Darfur, World Vision has delivered cholera treatment kits to nearly 9,000 people and provided emergency WASH services to over 25,000.

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How many people has World Vision supported in the crisis in Sudan?

World Vision has reached more than 3.2 million people in Sudan and in the region since the start of our response in 2023, most of them women and children — delivering lifesaving aid including food, access to clean water, child protection support, health and nutrition programs, sanitation and hygiene solutions, and more.

Among the lives touched by our support are twin boys Adam and Adeeb (pictured above at 21 months in May 2024) whose story shows both the challenges and hope within the crisis. Their mother, Tahani, undertook a courageous journey from her community in Sudan to the border of Chad, walking all the way to Farchana with one of the twins in her arms while a relative carried the other. “I faced shooting and people killing people on the road when I started coming,” Tahani said. “Houses and villages were on fire.”

When our staff met the twins in May 2024, they were severely malnourished. Adam weighed only 13 pounds.

While they endured unimaginable violence and displacement, they are now finding strength through critical support — including nutrient-rich food — they’re accessing through a health center, which World Vision is helping to expand. Improvements, including new water systems and electricity, have strengthened the center’s ability to care for and treat malnutrition cases. The twins, pictured below in September 2024, are no longer in a critical state of malnutrition. Adam and Adeeb are being monitored during their recovery by World Vision staff.

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Where has World Vision worked in Sudan, and for how long?

One of the largest humanitarian aid organizations in Sudan, we are headquartered in Khartoum. Our local staff work with volunteers and partners primarily in four states: South Darfur, Blue Nile, East Darfur, and South Kordofan. We’ve served children and families in Sudan from 1983 to 1988 and from 2004 onwards, initially responding in Darfur.

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How can I help children and families affected by the crisis in Sudan?

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those affected by the conflict in Sudan.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up the people of Sudan in their time of need. We pray for the safety of children, families, and World Vision staff, asking for Your protection and guidance as they navigate these dangerous times. Lord, we lift up those suffering from the hunger crisis, and we pray for provision and nourishment during this time of scarcity. We ask for Your special protection over women and girls who are particularly vulnerable to violence. Shield them from harm and give them strength and courage.

Lord, we plead for an end to the fighting and ask that Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, take the place of conflict. In Your mercy and grace we trust and hope. Amen.

• Give: Your gift today will help deliver essential care to children and families made vulnerable by the crisis in Sudan.

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Inside the crisis in Sudan

For a deeper dive into the humanitarian and displacement crisis in war-ravaged Sudan, join Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and top experts as they examine Sudan’s hunger crisis, the underlying conflict, and the international community’s response. Learn more in this detailed analysis, sponsored by World Vision. 

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As of the end of 2024, 42.7 million people worldwide are refugees — people forced to flee their home countries due to conflict, violence, persecution, or human rights violations, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in its latest Global Trends report.

Each year on June 20, World Refugee Day, the United Nations and people worldwide honor the strength and resilience of refugees and raise awareness of their needs. Explore the challenges refugees face and learn more about the global refugee crisis below.

Refugees: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Refugees
• What is the definition of a refugee under international law?
• How are refugees different from asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, and migrants?
• How many displaced people are there in the world in 2025?
• What are the top refugee crises in the world right now? 
• What rights and obligations do refugees have under international law?
• How does World Vision gain access to serve refugees and displaced children and families?  
• What is World Vision doing to help refugees?
• What are some of the groups of refugees and displaced people World Vision supports?
• How can I help refugees and displaced children today?

Fast facts: Refugees

• Global displacement totals: In 2024, the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide surpassed 123 million — approximately 1 in every 67 people, according to UNHCR.
• Largest displacement crisis: Sudan now has the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million internally displaced people and refugees, surpassing levels caused by Syria’s conflict.
• Main cause of displacement: Armed conflict remains the primary driver of displacement, causing millions to flee their homes in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
• Increase in refugee returns: In 2024, 9.8 million people returned home, including 1.6 million refugees, the highest in 20 years.
• Host countries: Iran, Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), Colombia, and Germany hosted the four largest populations of refugees in 2024, with 3.5 million, 2.9 million, 2.8 million, and 2.7 million, respectively.
• Impact on children: Although children make up less than a third of the global population, they accounted for more than 40% — 49 million — of the world’s refugees in 2024. Approximately 2.3 million children were born as refugees between 2018 and 2024.

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Open the door to hope for refugee children.

Help Refugees

What is the definition of a refugee under international law?

Refugees are people forced to flee their home countries because of persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that place them in need of international protection. Under international law, anyone who meets these criteria is a refugee, although a host country may require asylum seekers to establish a well-founded fear of danger before formally granting them refugee status. The 1951 Refugee Convention outlines refugees’ rights, including the right to non-refoulement — the right of a person not to be returned to a country where they may be persecuted. Refugee protections do not apply to people who have committed serious crimes or pose a security threat.

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How are refugees different from asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, and migrants?

• Refugees are people who flee their home country because of danger or persecution and because they are not protected by their country’s government. A person may fit this definition before being formally granted refugee status.
• Asylum seekers are people who’ve applied for protection — refugee status — on arrival in a country besides their own.
• Internally displaced people (IDPs) are people displaced by conflict, violence, or natural disasters within their home country.
• Migrants are people who move from their usual place of residence, whether internally or internationally, regardless of their legal status or reasons for moving. Although there is no formal legal definition, experts agree on this classification.

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How many displaced people are in the world in 2025?

Today’s numbers are slightly lower than the total reported at the end of 2024. Here’s a breakdown:

• At the end of 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reached over 123 million.
• By April 2025, the estimated number had slightly decreased to 122.1 million. This drop likely reflects refugee returns, resettlements, or updated data, according to UNHCR.
• Children are especially affected: Although they make up less than one-third of the global population, they account for more than 40% of all displaced people.

While these numbers can feel overwhelming, behind every one of them is a person — a mother, a child, a neighbor.

Read about the struggles of displaced mothers and their families.

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What are the top refugee crises in the world right now?

At the end of 2024, more than one-third of displaced people came from just four countries: Afghanistan, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine.

Sudan now faces the largest displacement crisis in the world, with an estimated 14.3 million people displaced. This surpasses the number of people displaced by armed conflict in Syria (13.5 million), followed by Afghanistan (10.3 million) and Ukraine (8.8 million)

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What rights and obligations do refugees have under international law?

Refugees have the right to safe asylum and not to be returned to possible persecution in their country of origin. According to the 1951 Refugee Convention, they are entitled to the basic rights of any other foreigner in the host country, especially the right to practice their religion, pursue education, and move about freely. They must follow and respect the laws of the country that accepts them.

Sometimes an influx of refugees is sudden and immense. Refugee camps are set up to provide temporary shelter and safety for them. Aid groups can deliver food, water, and other services in these camps. As time goes on, they sometimes become thriving communities.

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How does World Vision gain access to serve refugees and displaced children and families?

Through our presence in nearly 100 countries, World Vision is well-positioned to meet the needs of displaced people, whether they are in their own country or living as refugees. We coordinate humanitarian activities with national governments and other aid organizations to achieve the best outcomes for people affected by refugee crises.

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What is World Vision doing to help refugees?

We support refugees around the world through:

• Emergency relief, including access to food, clean water, shelter, and other essentials refugees need when displaced by conflict or disaster
• Child protection programs and Child-Friendly Spaces where kids can play, learn life skills, and experience everyday childhood interactions while also receiving psychosocial support to help them and their families navigate the difficulties of displacement
• Education support for refugee children, helping ensure they have the opportunity to learn in safe environments during displacement
• Livelihoods training and cash-for-work programs, focusing on empowering families to thrive and become self-sufficient.

We also partner with local communities and governments, local churches, and international organizations like United Nations agencies — including the World Food Programme (WFP) and the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) — to go beyond responding to immediate needs and support communities for long-term development.

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What are some of the groups of refugees and displaced people that World Vision supports?

We support millions of people affected by forced displacement across regions such as Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, South America, and beyond. The following are some of the groups we support:

World Vision’s response in Sudan conflict

Since conflict escalated in mid-April 2023, Sudan has faced one of the world’s most rapidly evolving crises. This conflict has led to the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of over 14.3 million people. Food insecurity is likely to worsen as violence continues to spread across Sudan, forcing more people to flee to neighboring countries.

World Vision, one of the largest humanitarian aid organizations in Sudan, has served children, families, and communities in the country from 1983 to 1988 and from 2004 onwards. Since April 2023, our emergency assistance programs in Sudan and the region have supported over 3.2 million people, predominantly women and children, focusing on food security, child protection, health and nutrition, and sanitation and hygiene.

How World Vision supports Syrian refugees and children

At the end of 2024, a quarter of Syria’s population had been uprooted, including 6.1 million refugees and asylum seekers and 7.4 million people displaced within the country. Since the conflict started in 2011, most Syrian refugees have been living in the Middle East, particularly in Turkey.

Following the transition in government in late 2024, more than 500,000 Syrians are estimated to have returned from abroad by mid-May 2025, according to UNHCR. Approximately 1.2 million people displaced within Syria have returned to their areas of origin. However, the journey home to Syria has been difficult, with many facing damaged infrastructure, scarce resources, and ongoing insecurity.

World Vision has supported more than 7.8 million children in the surrounding region, including in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. The 2023 earthquake in Syria and Turkey further complicated the situation, impacting internally displaced Syrians and Syrian refugees living in Turkey. In partnership with local organizations, World Vision has initiated 39 projects, including healthcare services, health and nutrition assistance, education programs, and psychological support sessions in schools. These critical efforts assisted more than 1.8 million people within the first year of our response.

Help for Ukrainian refugees and displaced people

World Vision has been responding since the onset of the war in Ukraine in late February 2022, which has resulted in over 5 million refugees, as of May 2025. Our dedicated staff in the region swiftly assisted refugees crossing into Romania, offering essentials such as food, shelter, cash assistance, and protection against trafficking. Continuing our response, we’ve partnered with churches and local organizations to support displaced families and their host communities in Romania, Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine. In 2024, we’ve supported over 2.1 million people in the region with crucial resources like emergency food assistance, hygiene kits, and child protection programs.

Our support extends beyond immediate relief, including assistance designed to meet long-term needs. For example, our staff are providing psychosocial support and tailored educational programs to address the unique needs of affected children and families.

Responding to the Venezuela crisis

Nearly 7.9 million refugees and migrants have left Venezuelan since 2017 in search of food, employment, and a better life. World Vision supports affected children and families by offering food and nutritional assistance, access to clean water, and essential health and education services in nearby countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru.

In Venezuela, we’re working with partner organizations to empower families to improve their children’s lives. As of December 2024, our efforts have supported over 2.58 million people in the affected countries. Our programs focus on child protection, education, food security, access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and livelihoods.

Supporting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Since 2017, the Rohingya people have endured violence, persecution, and human rights violations in Myanmar’s Rakhine state, prompting many to seek refuge elsewhere. The majority of Rohingya refugees have crossed the border into neighboring Bangladesh.

World Vision has been delivering crucial assistance in Bangladesh since the onset of the crisis. In 2024, we supported over 416,000 people living in overcrowded camps in Cox’s Bazar. Our ongoing work encompasses 34 camps, providing essential aid such as food, clean water, sanitation facilities, and shelter, as well as addressing gender-based violence and child protection. By working in these challenging circumstances, we strive to alleviate suffering and address the critical needs of the Rohingya people.

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How can I help refugees and displaced children today?

• Pray for all who have fled unsafe environments — especially children — and who struggle every day to survive as refugees.
• Give to World Vision’s Refugee Children’s Crisis Fund to support refugee families with life-saving essentials.

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