What is a Refugee? Facts and how to help

This article was updated by Mauro Flammini on August 20, 2026

At the end of 2025, there were:

• 41.6 million refugees and people in need of international protection.
• 68.7 million internally displaced people within their own countries
• 9 million asylum-seekers awaiting decisions on their claims

When this article was first written, there were 26 million refugees worldwide. Today, 1 in 70 people in Earth have been forced to flee where they live, work and play.

Needless to say, levels of displacement are at an all-time high.

Countries that border conflict zones or fragile contexts are inundated with people who are desperately seeking asylum from the dangers that surround them back home.

In the news, there are too many stories about the various conflicts people are fleeing from and about the countries taking (or not taking) refugees and migrants in.

While there are complex issues behind every conflict and war, at the heart of the matter are the men, women and children who are caught in the middle.

They are refugees and their lives have been put in limbo by circumstances that are out of their control.

1. What is a refugee?

According to the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency, a refugee is defined as someone who:

• "owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it."

Refugees are often forced to run for their lives with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and whatever they can carry. Many refugees cannot return home or are afraid to return home due to fear of death or persecution.

They are likely to remain a refugee for many years. For some, it may even be decades.

It is now estimated that nearly 89,000 people are newly displaced every day because of violence and persecution.

And children make up 39 per cent of the world’s refugee population.

2. What is an internally displaced person?

An internally displaced person (IDP) is defined as:

• "persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized state border."

Sanctuary can be found in nearby towsn, settlements or internal camps and even forests and fields.

But because they are still under the authority of their own governments (since they have not crossed an international border), IDPs do not have the specific legal protections afforded to refugees under international law. Thier own governments have the primary responsibility to protect and assist them.

However, they are still protected by international human rights and humanitarian law and are entitled to protection and humanitarian assistance.

By the numbers

There are nearly 69 million internally displaced people around the world. Currently, Sudan holds the largest population of IDPs, with approximately 10 million. Other countries with significant IDP populations include

• Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (7 million)
• Syria (6.7 million)
• Ukraine (6.7 million)
• Yemen (4.5 million)

Internal strife and natural disasters are two of the main reasons why people become displaced in their own countries.

3. What is an asylum seeker?

The UN definition of an asylum seeker:

• "is someone who intends to seek or is awaiting a decision on their request for international protection. In some countries, it is used as a legal term for a person who has applied for refugee status and has not yet received a final decision on their claim.

Before someone can be considered a refugee and gain the rights, legal protection and assistance they are entitled to, they must first apply for asylum in the country they wish to enter.

An asylum seeker must be interviewed to prove that they have a valid reason to fear death or persecution in their home country.

4. Do refugees have rights?

When displaced people seek asylum in a different country, their dignity, rights and identity can be at risk in the scramble for safety.

The 1951 Refugee Convention was established to ensure that refugees are recongized and their rights are protected by the countries that grant them asylum.

Under the Convention’s core principle of non-refoulement, refugees must not be sent back to a country where they are at risk of death or persecution.

In addition, the Convention grants certain rights to refugees that allow them to find housing and work, access education, practice their religion, move freely within the territory and protect them from punishment for illegally entering the country.

In turn, refugees must abide by the laws and regulations of the host country and respect the measures taken to maintain public order.

5. What is the difference between a refugee, a migrant and an immigrant?

Before we can define who is an immigrant, it’s helpful to understand the subtle differences between a refugee and a migrant.

While migrants and refugees are people who have left their home countries in search of a better life abroad, their reasons for doing so make all the difference between these two groups.

Refugees

• Refugees were forced to flee for their lives because conflict or persecution made it impossible or unsafe to stay in their home country.
• They are protected by international law from being sent back to their home country while their safety is still a concern.

Migrants

• Migrants are people who move from one country or region to another for various reasons such as to find work or get an education to improve their living situations.
• The term migrant is also used to describe people who are still on the move, like the millions of Syrians fleeing war by embarking upon dangerous sea crossings or journeying on foot to Europe.
• Not all migrants qualify as refugees and, therefore, are not eligible for the same rights and legal protections under international law.

Immigrants

• Immigrants are people who enter a country with the intention of settling there as citizens or permanent residents.
• Immigrants have the luxury of choosing which country will be their new home, planning their travel, settling their personal and financial affairs and saying goodbye to their loved ones.

6. What is a refugee camp?

When conflict in one country drives its people across the border into another country, finding shelter is usually their immediate concern.

In order to manage the influx of refugees, the local government, the United Nations, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) usually work together to hastily build large settlements to provide temporary housing and basic needs such as food, water and medical attention.

There are over 6.6 million people living in refugee camps today. Millions more live in alternative forms of migrant settlements

Unofficial refugee camps

Camps such as those in Idomeni, Grees and the Calais Jungle in France are formed without the aid or sanction of the local government, in order to provide physical shelter and direct services to rejected asylum seekers and refugees.

They also function as a form of political activism to highlight the plight of asylum seekers and refugees who are caught in limbo between a country they can’t return to and a country that doesn’t want them.

Unlike official refugee camps, unofficial refugee camps are usually run by volunteers who lack experience in refugee aid work and are not humanitarian aid workers.

Without support from the government or an official system in place, residents of unofficial refugee camps can be vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and violence – often at the hands of the people claiming to help them.

Urban areas

Urban areas allow refugees to live anonymously in their host country, outside of refugee camps.

In these areas, there may be better economic and educational opportunities, health care facilities and sense of community.

However, this same anonymity can also make it difficult for aid workers to find them later to ensure that they are adjusting well to life in their new home.

The dangers of living as an urban refugee include an increased risk of exploitation, arrest or detention. They can also be forced to accept the worst jobs for very little pay.

7. What is life like in a refugee camp?

Although refugee camps are a lifeline for people fleeing danger, life in a refugee camp can also be chaotic – not just for refugees but for aid workers too.

The sheer volume of new arrivals – some having walked for hours or even days through battle zones and other dire situations – creates a crowded and hectic scene as they await processing.

For an asylum seeker or aid worker, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed at the sight of thousands of displaced people desperate for safety.

Many challenges can arise from having so many people – most of whom have witnessed a multitude of atrocities – concentrated in one spot for what may be years at a time.

• Insufficient funding from governments and aid agencies can lead to a scarcity of food, shortage of clean water, overcrowding and poor sanitation.
• Shelters are often built very close to each other, sometimes by the refugees themselves, out of materials that can be locally sourced or brought in by relief agencies. Many families frequently share a single dwelling, so privacy is scarce.
• Conflict, sexual assault and violence are very real threats in refugee camps. Families often learn the hard way that letting their guard down can lead to serious consequences for women and children and must always remain vigilant – even as they sleep.
• Lack of health care options, accessibility, medical facilities and supplies in refugee camps make it difficult to stem the spread of disease and illness, give birth safely and reduce infant mortality rates, diagnose and treat mental health issues, move around the camp with a disability, etc.
• Educational opportunities and schools are not always available in refugee camps. In camps where formal education is denied to children, especially to girls, children like Jipara – a Rohingya refugee with a love of learning – must find ways to learn on their own.
• Finding ways for refugees to stay productive becomes a challenge the longer they remain in the camps. With no employment opportunities or ways to integrate with society, refugees can’t practice their skills or feel connected to the local community.

Despite the challenges, refugee camps can develop a sense of community of their own, based on the way the camps are designed and how people are treated once they’re there.

Bidi Bidi camp in Uganda is unlike most refugee camps. Tents dot the landscape organically and newcomers are given a 30x30m plot of land.

It’s not much, but it’s enough space for residents to plant a vegetable garden using seeds provided by World Vision. The vegetables they grow are a sustainable food source for their families and the surplus can be sold to their neighbours for income.

8. Which countries host the largest refugee populations?

Most refugees and asylum-seekers do so in just a handful of countries:

• Iran (3.5 million)
• Türkiye (2.9 million)
• Germany (2.7 million)
• Uganda (1.8 million refugees)
• Pakistan (1.6 million)

9. What is the biggest refugee camp in the world?

The largest refugee settlement in the world is Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh. It is home to almost 1.2 million Rohingya refugees across 33 camps. The primary camp is called Kutuplalong.

In 2017, nearly 700,000 Rohingya refuges fled extreme violence and military persecution in neighbouring Myanmar. At Cox’s Bazar, they live in a sprawling network of temporary bamboo-and-tarp shelters that offer little protection or privacy.

The shelters are small and cramped and some people live in spaces that are only 12 square metres in size.

Imagine living your entire life, all daily chores and activities, in a space the size of a small bedroom.

10. Where are the largest refugee camps in the world located?

The refugee camps with the largest populations in the world are:

• Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh: 1.2 million
• Eastern Chad: 1.3 million (this comprises several camps across the Ouaddaï, Wadi Fira, Ennedi East, and Sila Provinces in the region)
• Dadaab, Kenya: 407,000
• Kakuma,Kenya: 310,000
• Nakivale, Uganda: 277,000
• Adjumani, Uganda: 234,000

11. What is a Syrian refugee?

Since 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a civil war that has devastated the country and its people.

Over time, the escalating violence became unbearable for Syrians, and, as a result:

• 7.4 million people have become internally displaced.
• 6 million Syrians have fled the country.
• 600,000 people, including tens of thousands of children, have been killed.

12. What is a Sudanese refugee?

Since 2023, Sudan has seen daily conflict as rival factions fight for country of the country. It is now considered the world's worst humanitarian crisis because:

• 13 million people have been displaced from their homes.
• 7 million people remain internally displaced in Sudan.
• 4.5 million people have fled to neighbouring countries.
• 42,000 children have been separated from their families.

13. What is a refugee crisis?

Forced displacement has reached levels rarely seen in modern history.

At the end of 2025, almost 118 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide because of conflict, persecution, violence and threats against human rights.

Although this represents a small decline from the record 123 million people displaced by the end of 2024, the number is still too high.

What is driving displacement?

Conflict and violence remain major drivers of forced displacement. The world's largest displacement crises include:

• Sudan
• Syria
• Afghanistan
• Ukraine

Sudan alone accounted for 14.3 million forcibly displaced people in 2024, making it the world's largest displacement crisis.

For people fleeing these conflicts, reaching safety can be dangerous. Those who cross international borders may face perilous journeys, exploitation and abuse along the way.

Others remain displaced within their own countries, often living in precarious conditions with limited access to food, shelter, health care and education.

For many, finding safety is only the beginning.

Refugees and internally displaced people may spend years, or even decades, away from their homes, waiting for the conditions that will allow them to return safely, rebuild their lives or find another lasting solution.

13. What was Canada’s response to the refugee crisis?

In Syria

Since 2026, Canada has committed more than $4.7 billion (CAD) in funding for Syria and the surrounding region to help provide essentials such as:

• Food
• Protection services
• Clean water, sanitation and hygiene services
• Health services

And as a nation, Canada has resettled more than 100,000 refugees since 2015.

In Sudan

Canada works tirelessly to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan. Until that happens, Canada will tontinue to provide:

• Immediate humanitarian assistance
• Emergency food
• Clean water, sanitation and hygiene services
• Prevention and protection against sexual and gender-based violence
• Improved access to education for 90 per cent of Sudanese children who are unable to attend school

14. What can I do to help?

The statistics may be grim.

But when Canadians stand together against the global refugee crisis, we’re sending a message of hope to the men, women and children who are fleeing threats of violence, hunger, abuse and exploitation.

And when you donate to World Vision Canada by sponsoring a child, giving where it's most needed or supporting emergency disaster relief, you are provides life-saving resources to people and children who are living in the world’s most dangerous places.