20 June 2025

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), at the end of 2024 an estimated 123,2 million people  were forcibly displaced worldwide. This sobering figure reflects the devastating impacts of conflict, persecution, environmental disasters, and widespread human rights violations.

Nowhere is this crisis more evident than in Africa.

• In Sudan, armed conflict has caused the internal displacement of over 8.1 million people, and another 4 million fleeing across borders to neighbouring countries.
• In the Democratic Republic of Congo, continued unrest in the eastern provinces has resulted in the internal displacement of 6.9 million people, with more than 5 million uprooted in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri alone.
• In the Sahel and Horn of Africa, a combination of armed conflict, food insecurity, and climate shocks is fuelling large-scale and protracted displacement.

In recognition of this reality, on World Refugee Day 2025, the Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, joins the international community in marking this year’s theme: “Solidarity with Refugees.” At a time when global displacement has reached record levels, solidarity must go beyond sentiment—it must drive legal, political, and social action.

Solidarity Amid Strain

African states have long demonstrated a proud tradition of solidarity by offering refuge to displaced persons, often in the face of limited resources and complex challenges. Yet today, national protection systems are under increasing strain due to economic hardship, political instability, and under-resourced infrastructure. Rising xenophobia, stigmatisation, and violence against refugees now threaten to erode this legacy of generosity and compliance with regional and international legal obligations.

In this context, solidarity with refugees must go beyond words—it must be anchored in meaningful action. This includes listening to refugee voices, creating space for their stories and agency, and defending their fundamental right to seek safety and protection.

Solidarity means addressing the root causes of displacement, including ending the conflicts and crises that force people to flee. It also means ensuring that refugees are given the opportunity to rebuild their lives and thrive in host communities—supported by inclusive social policies, robust legal safeguards, and sufficient international assistance for the countries that welcome them.

Above all, solidarity sends a clear and courageous message: refugees are not alone—and we will not turn our backs.

Legal Obligations Must Be Upheld

The Centre for Human Rights calls on African states to translate solidarity into action by:

• Ratifying, domesticating, and implementing the Kampala Convention—Africa’s landmark treaty on the rights of internally displaced persons, which remains under-ratified despite being in force since 2012.
• Fulfilling obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1969 OAU Refugee Convention, and related human rights instruments.

These legal frameworks are essential tools for transforming principled solidarity into enforceable protection.

Our Commitments on World Refugee Day

As we embrace this year’s theme, “Solidarity with Refugees,” the Centre for Human Rights reaffirms its commitment to:

• Protecting the rights and well-being of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons;
• Combating xenophobia and fostering inclusive, welcoming communities;
• Promoting the ratification and implementation of the Kampala Convention across Africa;
• Supporting durable solutions, including voluntary return, local integration, and resettlement;
• Advocating for equitable responsibility-sharing, especially in support of host countries.

Our shared humanity

Solidarity with refugees must be rooted in shared humanity and mutual respect. Displaced persons are not defined by their circumstances, but by their resilience, skills, and potential. When afforded the opportunity, they contribute meaningfully to the cultural, economic, and social vitality of their host societies.

World Refugee Day is not only a day of recognition—it is a call to action. Let us recommit to building societies where legal protection is upheld, inclusion is prioritised, and every individual can live in dignity and safety.

 For further information, please contact:

Ms. Molya Vundamina
Project officer: Migrants’ Rights Unit

Email: [email protected]

Ms. Mansah Amoah
Project officer: Migrants’ Rights Unit

Email: [email protected]