World Population Day marred by 100 million migrant milestone

WORLD Population Day (July 11) has long been a moment to celebrate human progress, but comes this year at a grim milestone with a massive 100 million people now internally displaced for the first time ever, post Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Driven by violence, persecution and human rights abuses, the massive 100 million figure of people forced to flee their homes is around 1 person in every 78 across the world. That’s larger than the population of many countries.

The data comes in a new report from the United Nation’s refugee agency, the UNHCR Global Trends Report. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi asserts that “either the international community comes together to take action to address this human tragedy, resolve conflicts and find lasting solutions, or this terrible trend will continue”.