© action medeor/Orient Info © action medeor/Orient On the run: Refugees worldwide In 2025, there were almost 118 million refugees worldwide - the highest number ever recorded. The causes for the dramatic rise in refugee numbers are manifold: war and violence, persecution and climate disasters such as drought, flooding or hurricanes all play a role. action medeor is committed to the well-being of refugees - with a focus on medical care. 118 million people are displaced worldwide. 69 million people are internally displaced within their own country in search of refuge. 65 percent of refugees find refuge in a neighboring country. Where do people flee to? 69 million internally displaced people: More than half of the world's refugees do not cross their country's borders and become internally displaced within their own country. For example, in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan. Shelter in neighboring countries: At least 65 percent of all refugees seek refuge in a neighboring country. Refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Venezuela and the Palestinian territories, for example, are largely accommodated in Iran, Turkey, Colombia and Jordan. In numbers: The situation in action medeor's countries of operation action medeor is active in many countries where people are fleeing or seeking refuge. Examples include the following countries: Ukraine: Since the beginning of Russia’s war of aggression in February 2022, more than 5.7 million Ukrainians continue to be displaced. About 3.3 million of them are displaced within the country, while more than 2 million have found refuge in other European countries. Syria: Civil war has been raging in Syria since March 2011. Since then, millions of Syrians have been forced to flee - more than 7.4 million as internally displaced people within the country, some of them for years in makeshift tent camps. Somalia: Drought, monsoon-like rains and violent conflict have dominated life in Somalia for decades and continue to force many people to flee. Over 3 million people are displaced within the country, and more than 660.000 people have left Somalia in search of safety. Sudan: Since the outbreak of the civil war in April 2023, Sudan has been experiencing the largest displacement crisis in the world today. More than 11.5 million people are currently displaced within the country; more than 14 million people have been displaced in total since the fighting began. DR Congo: The Democratic Republic of the Congo is both a refuge for people fleeing neighbouring countries such as Burundi and itself affected by massive internal displacement. Ongoing fighting between armed groups and the national army continues to force millions of people to flee - more than 6.2 million Congolese are currently displaced within the country. Yemen: The war that has been ongoing since 2015 has plunged Yemen into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Millions of people depend on assistance, much of the country’s infrastructure has been destroyed, and more than 4.7 million people are living as internally displaced persons. Donate Health Your donation enables us to provide medical care to people in crisis and disaster regions. Donate Now Involvement of action medeor In the countries of origin of the refugees as well as in the countries where particularly large numbers of people are seeking protection, action medeor is committed to providing care for those in need. This includes providing medicines and medical equipment for the treatment of diseases as well as disease prevention, for example through the construction of sanitary facilities in refugee camps. Your donation helps! With your donation to action medeor, you support health care for people in crisis regions worldwide. action medeor supplies health centers in remote or contested areas as well as refugee camps with medicines, medical equipment and devices so that doctors can treat the many people seeking help. We are also working with local aid organizations to strengthen structures to prevent disease. For example, we are involved in the construction of sanitary facilities and the training of medical staff.