As the world rings in a new year, the need to address ongoing and long-lasting humanitarian crises remains urgent. In 2025, several regions will face challenges that will demand global attention.
Here are five crises you should know about in 2025
Keep reading to learn more about five key humanitarian crises to watch in the year ahead.
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Syria: over 17 million people in need of aid
Keep reading to learn more about five key humanitarian crises to watch in the year ahead.
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Syria: over 17 million people in need of aid
Syria has been decimated by almost 14 years of conflict, displacement and economic deterioration. Over 17 million people inside the country require humanitarian assistance, and have endured loss, destruction, poverty, and multiple overlapping crises. Millions of children remain out of school as families struggle to make ends meet.
While the recent change in government brings about a chance of a fresh start, millions still need help, and critical needs continue to be unmet.
Read our latest stories from Syria →
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Gaza: 1.9 million people displaced
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The year 2024 was catastrophic for civilians in Gaza. Over 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, and more than 107,000 have been injured in the Gaza Strip. Families are grappling with unimaginable loss, and the risk of famine remains high. 1.9 million people are displaced and over half of Gaza's homes damaged or destroyed.
Read our latest stories from Palestine →
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Sudan: over 14 million people displaced
Sudan teeters on the brink of total collapse after enduring over 18 months of relentless destruction. Horrifying violence and acute lack of food now affect half of the population, and famine is spreading across the country. One in five people are displaced inside Sudan, with survivors facing unimaginable hardships after losing everything.
Read our latest stories from Sudan →
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Burkina Faso: 2 million people internally displaced
Burkina Faso has topped NRC’s Neglected Crises list for the past two years. With 37 blockaded towns across the country, little to no humanitarian assistance is reaching those in need. Around 2 million people are displaced inside the country, often forced to flee multiple times due to insecurity and lack of aid. Over 800,000 children have seen their education disrupted as schools remain closed, further aggravating the crisis.
Read our latest stories from Burkina Faso →
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Afghanistan: 11 million people displaced
In Afghanistan, decades of war, political unrest and economic turmoil have forced families from their homes and left millions of people in chronic poverty – made worse by recurrent droughts, earthquakes and flooding.
Although the country-wide war ended in 2021, this violence – together with frequent droughts, flooding and earthquakes in October 2023 – has caused 6.7 million people to flee the country and 4.2 million people to seek refuge elsewhere in Afghanistan. These displaced families now live in precarious situations and extreme poverty.
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