Armed conflicts displaced more people internally than disasters in 2023, global report shows

Armed conflicts caused more internal displacement worldwide than natural disasters in 2023, according to a new report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre. The data reveals a shift from previous patterns where climate-related disasters typically drove higher displacement numbers. Nearly two-thirds of conflict-related internal displacement occurred in just two countries: Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The finding highlights the growing impact of armed violence on civilian populations, forcing people to flee their homes while remaining within their country's borders, rather than crossing international boundaries as refugees.