UNHCR and the role of the Islamic economy

Why the growth of the Islamic Economy is important for refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs)

In the past year, we once again witnessed an increase in the number of people forcibly displaced globally. By the end of 2020, 82.4 million people had been forced to flee their homes. With the intensification of crises, from Mexico to the Sahel region to Afghanistan, this number is unfortunately expected to increase over the next year. In 2020 alone, 9.8 million people were displaced within their own countries, and 1.4 million sought refuge across their borders. The majority of these displaced populations, be they refugees or internally displaced people (IDPs), are from only five countries: Syria, Venezuela, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar, while 86% of displaced families are hosted in developing countries where the socio-economic situation is already fragile. 

Beyond the figures, the demographic dynamics of these populations are highly concerning: among the nearly 26.4 million refugees, approximately half are children. Globally, almost 1 million children were born as refugees between 2018 and 2020. With no end in sight for many crises, displaced families find themselves in dire need of support to survive. For many Syrian families and individuals, this coming year will mark their 11th consecutive winter in displacement. This season brings with it additional challenges for those already struggling to make ends meet. Adding to that, the negative socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on displaced families and communities has been devastating, with many losing their informal daily-wage livelihoods.