The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has indicated that conflict, violence and other crises have displaced 36.5 million children from their homes at the end of 2021, the highest since World War II. This figure includes 13.7 million refugee and asylum-seeking children and almost 22.8 million internally displaced children as a result of conflict and violence.

In a statement released today, the Friday before World Refugee Day, the organization called on governments to increase protection and access to services for refugee, migrant and displaced children.

“We cannot ignore the evidence. The number of children displaced by conflict and crises is growing rapidly and therefore we have an obligation to reach them. I hope this alarming number will inspire governments to prevent the displacement of children in the first place,” said UNICEF Executive Director Katherine Russell. When they are displaced, to ensure they have access to education, protection and other vital services that support their well-being and development now and in the future.

According to UNICEF, these figures do not include children displaced as a result of trauma or environmental disasters, as well as those who were most recently displaced in 2022, including as a result of the war in Ukraine.

The organization attributed the record number of displaced children to successive crises, including acute and protracted conflicts such as Afghanistan, instability in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo or Yemen, and associated shocks exacerbated by the effects of climate change. The organization said the global number of displaced children increased by 2.2 million compared to the previous year.