Global Humanitarian Overview 2026

Regional Refugee Response Plans

Refugee Response Plans (RRPs) are inter-agency coordination, planning, and fundraising frameworks developed under the leadership or co-leadership of UNHCR to support host governments in protecting and assisting refugees, returnees, host communities, and other affected populations. Anchored in the Global Compact on Refugees, RRPs provide structured yet flexible platforms that guide partners in addressing immediate life-saving needs and critical protection risks, while also ensuring access to essential services in both emergency and protracted displacement contexts. They embody a whole-of-society approach, fostering inclusive partnerships with national and local authorities, NGOs, UN agencies, civil society, development partners and the private sector.

A strong commitment to localization remains at the core of the RRPs, with increased investment in local leadership and community-driven initiatives to ensure that responses are sustainable and truly reflect community priorities. All interventions apply an age, gender and diversity lens to promote equitable access to life-saving protection and services. The RRPs integrate climate-resilience strategies to address the growing impact of environmental degradation and climate change on displacement. Cash-based interventions remain the preferred modality wherever feasible, complemented by in-kind assistance when required to address critical gaps. Protection is mainstreamed across all sectors, with partners prioritizing safe environments and risk mitigation for refugees and host communities. Preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) and sexual harassment is a cross-cutting priority, in line with inter-agency commitments.

By reinforcing partnerships, aligning with regional frameworks, and avoiding duplication, the 2026 RRPs aim to deliver coherent, prioritized and context-specific responses that enhance predictability, accountability and collective impact. This overarching framework sets the stage for the detailed RRP overviews that follow—each outlining how partners will work together to meet life-saving and other critical needs, while strengthening national capacities and ensuring the meaningful participation of refugees and host communities in shaping the responses that affect their lives.

A group of people sitting inside a traditional hut, surrounded by colorful handmade crafts and woven baskets, with jars of food placed on a low table.

Aboutenge, Chad

The women's group makes bags, baskets, and produces locally made incense to generate income for their families. The group meets every week to share ideas, exchange experiences, and provide psychosocial support to one another.

UNHCR/ Ala Kheir

The 2026 planning cycle also marks an important moment of transition. Three existing RRPs—the regional Afghanistan, DRC and South Sudan situations—are entering a sunset phase as operations evolve, national leadership strengthens, and response models shift toward nationally integrated and development-anchored approaches. At the same time, ongoing RRPs are being reshaped to become more adaptable across all stages of the response—from sudden-onset emergencies requiring rapid, life-saving interventions to protracted displacement situations where resilience, inclusion and social cohesion are central.

This direction reflects a broader move toward sustainable responses and solutions: strengthening national systems, empowering local actors, and advancing refugee inclusion and self-reliance alongside host communities. As responses mature, RRPs will help integrate refugee and host community priorities into national development plans and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks (UNSDCFs), engaging development and peace actors from the outset and supporting a transition toward nationally led, solutions-oriented programming.

The Ukraine Regional RRP is a clear example of this shift. Now in its final year, it will no longer be included in the GHO’s humanitarian financial requirements as the response moves from meeting immediate humanitarian needs toward more sustainable, nationally anchored approaches. However, continued support remains essential to ensure protection, inclusion and access to services for refugees and host communities as the response transitions.

Ukraine Regional RRP

The year 2026 marks the final phase of the Ukraine Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP), encompassing Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, which together continue to host more than 1.7 million refugees from Ukraine.

Launched on 1 March 2022 following the outbreak of international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the Ukraine Regional RRP has evolved from meeting urgent humanitarian needs during the emergency phase to advancing social cohesion with host communities, resilience, self-reliance and the effective inclusion of Ukrainian refugees in national systems. In this final year of the plan, partners will work closely with host governments to progressively transition coordination and leadership to national and local actors, ensuring the sustainability of the response beyond 2026. While the focus has shifted from relief to inclusion, partners remain ready to adapt their interventions should the situation significantly evolve – including in the event of further displacement or potential returns to Ukraine.

The 2026 component of the 2025-2026 RRP foresees a budget of $381 million, sought by some 190 partners across 10 refugee hosting countries, to provide protection and inclusion support to 1.7 million refugees and 41.5K host community members in Moldova.

For more details, please refer to this snapshot document https://data.unhcr.org/en/documents/details/119584 . The updated 2025-2026 plan will be uploaded to UNHCR's data portal.

Sudan Regional RRP

People in Need at launch (Dec. 2025)
6.1 million
People Targeted at launch (Dec. 2025)
6.1 million
Requirements (US$) at launch (Dec. 2025)
1.5 billion
People urgently prioritized
3.4 million
Urgently prioritized requirements (US$)
929 million

Sudan now faces the world’s largest displacement and protection crisis, with violence and mass uprooting across the country. After more than two and a half years of conflict since April 2023 nearly 4.2 million refugees remain displaced in CAR, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda.

These neighbouring countries host new arrivals on top of the 840,000 pre-April 2023 Sudanese refugees, as well as returning citizens for some countries. Arrivals often enter impoverished areas with limited services and economic opportunities. Disrupted cross-border trade is driving food and fuel inflation, worsening macroeconomic pressures. Food insecurity has spilt across borders, with 1 in 10 newly arrived Sudanese refugee children in Chad being malnourished. Severe underfunding of the 2025 humanitarian response has further reduced assistance, heightening the vulnerability of refugees.

Extreme weather events have compounded needs in South Sudan and Chad, causing damage to shelter and infrastructure, disrupting livelihoods, and hindering aid delivery. Concurrently, there have been cholera outbreaks in South Sudan, Chad and Ethiopia in 2025, linked to Sudan’s 2024 outbreak.

A person is collecting water from a communal tap into multiple plastic containers of various colors

Libya

Sudanese refugee Tahani Hamid took an unexpectedly dangerous route to Libya, where nearly 100,000 Sudanese refugees have sought safety from the war.

UNHCR/Sanne Biesmans

The pursuit for peace continues with multiple ceasefire attempts. Returns of displaced Sudanese are ongoing and expected to continue in 2026, some following relative calm in some areas, while others are compelled by hardship in asylum countries. However, returnees find widespread destruction, insecurity, and continued conflict, including reports of sexual violence. Essential services have collapsed, and parties to the conflict are blocking humanitarian access in some areas. Many returnees are forced to flee again or leave in situations of internal displacement. In October 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) capture of El Fasher in North Darfur region triggered a new surge of violence, displacement and loss of life. Conflict and human rights violations are likely to persist into 2026, prolonging displacement and leaving over 4 million Sudanese refugees in seven asylum countries in urgent need.

The neighbouring countries continue to show solidarity despite overstretched resources, underscoring the need for sustained international support.

Response priorities and financial requirements for 2026

The 2026 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan will:

  1. Support host countries in ensuring access to territory and asylum for all individuals in need of international protection, in compliance with the principle of non-refoulement and other regional and international obligations, including maintaining the civilian and humanitarian character of asylum.
  2. Support host countries in providing critical protection and humanitarian assistance for refugees, in particular, for new arrivals, including food, shelter, health, and protection services.
  3. Support host countries to strengthen institutional and local capacity to include refugees in national systems and services, including through access to documentation.
  4. Investing in sustainable response and “solutions from the start” through engagement with development actors and the private sector to promote self-reliance.
  5. Enhancing emergency preparedness and response to conflict-related displacement, outbreak of diseases and climate disasters.
Three individuals are standing close together in front of a structure with a white tent and a visible logo in the background. They are wearing colorful patterned garments, including shades of blue, pink, white, and green.

South Sudan

As the conflict in Sudan enters its second year, more women and children continue to be displaced.

UNHCR/Reason Moses Runyanga

The 2026 Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP) outlines a financial requirement of $1.5 billion to address the needs of over 6 million refugees and host communities. The response has a dual delivery, providing critical life-saving assistance and sustainable responses. Of the total appeal, $929 million has been prioritized to cover the critical, lifesaving needs of 3.4 million conflict-affected people. Among the critical needs is life-saving assistance—including food, shelter, healthcare, and protection services for the new arrivals and other vulnerable refugees. The RRP also includes emergency preparedness and rapid response to conflict-related displacement, recurrent disease outbreaks, and climate-induced disasters such as floods. Host governments will be supported in maintaining access to their territory and asylum for refugees, as well as in preserving the civilian character of asylum.

The sustainable responses are informed by a “Solutions from the Start” approach that strengthens institutional and local capacities to include refugees into national systems, including through documentation and access to essential services, guided by the Global Compact on Refugees. Government leadership and the engagement of development actors and the private sector will help drive sustainability and self-reliance for both refugees and host communities.

To reinforce the humanitarian, peace and development nexus, the Development Partners Group for the Sudan Regional Refugee Crisis will continue to promote coordination and engagement with development partners across the 7 asylum countries and Sudan.

2025 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Protection

Icon Protection

955 thousand individuals received protection services.

Includes Child Protection services and GBV responses

Food Assistance

Icon Food

1.2 million individuals provided with food assistance.

Shelter

Icon Shelter

107 thousand individuals supported with shelter/ non-food items.

Cash Assistance

Icon Cash-transfer

160 thousand individuals relocated or supported with transportation cash allowance.

Livelihood

Icon Livelihood

50 thousand individuals provided with livelihood support.

Health

Icon Health

813 thousand individuals provided with healthcare consultations.

A group of people, including children, are gathered around a desk where a person is seated using a laptop. The setting appears to be an office or service center.

Egypt

Sudanese refugee family at the UNHCR headquarters to process their identification papers.

UNHCR/ Basma Fathy

Consequences of funding cuts

Central African Republic:

In Korsi, where approximately 27,000 Sudanese refugees live, shelter coverage meets less than 23 per cent of identified needs. In 2025, only 150 semi-durable shelters are being built, leaving thousands of families exposed to harsh weather and heightened protection risks. Without additional shelters, many will remain without safe housing, increasing vulnerability during the rainy season. Additionally, funding shortages create frustration within the refugee community, particularly when food or cash distributions are interrupted.

Chad:

A deadly cholera outbreak has affected the seven refugee settlements in eastern Chad and surging to 2,584 suspected cases by October 2025—a 161 per cent increase. Refugees have access to less than 10 litres of water per person per day, far below the emergency standard of 15 litres, and latrines designed for 20 families often serve more than twice that number. The severe underfunding has stalled investments in water systems and sanitation, undermining efforts to contain cholera and leaving thousands of people at risk of a deadly epidemic. The overstretched health facilities in refugee-hosting areas lack the capacity to isolate or adequately treat the growing number of patients.

Egypt:

As of May 2025, UNHCR retained only 15,898 refugee households on a monthly cash assistance program despite an estimated 50,000 vulnerable families who urgently need cash support to cover rent, food, and other essential expenses. The transfer value has also been reduced by approximately 11 per cent, meaning that refugees receive amounts below the survival minimum standards. In addition, the typical Sudanese family of six or more receives cash assistance for only five people due to capping measures. Without sufficient assistance, many face heightened risks of eviction, hunger, and exploitation.

Ethiopia:

Failure to adequately fund protection interventions leaves displaced populations without critical support, exacerbating trauma and vulnerability. Without expanded mental health and psychosocial services, survivors of conflict and displacement face prolonged suffering and reduced resilience. A lack of investment in gender-based violence programming denies life-saving assistance to survivors and increase risks for women and girls. Children at risk remain without essential case management, emergency medical care, and cash assistance. Moreover, without sufficient resources, over 30,000 new arrivals will be excluded from registration and national ID systems, undermining their access to protection and basic services.

Three individuals wearing colorful patterned headscarves and garments are standing close together in front of a fabric backdrop with visible UNHCR markings. The setting appears to be a temporary shelter or camp environment.

Ethiopia

In the Ura settlement, Sudanese refugee women wait for their turn to receive their monthly food distribution. They moved a year ago, after fleeing ongoing violence in Sudan.

UNHCR/Sona Dadi

Libya:

Over 400,000 Sudanese refugees are estimated to have arrived in Libya with little more than the clothes they are wearing, and most are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. Almost three years into the Sudan conflict, in response to the adverse public opinion fueled by social media, the State of Libya started adopting restrictive policies curtailing access to public services, including health and education, compounded by raids and discrimination. Reduced funding has left many destitute, compelling them to make desperate decisions, including taking the perilous journey across the Mediterranean. In 2025, 13 per cent of the 26,000 refugees and migrants, who were rescued or intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, where they are held in detention, were Sudanese, and of the over 56,000 who have arrived in Italy, and 31,000 who have arrived in Greece, 10,000 are Sudanese.

Uganda:

Severe funding cuts to food assistance have resulted in the targeting of only 41,108 Sudanese refugees (45 per cent) with food rations, leaving about 50,000 Sudanese without food assistance. New arrivals currently receive only 60 per cent of the standard food ration, worth USD 8, and after the first six months, assistance is determined based on a restricted vulnerability criteria. These reductions have worsened malnutrition outcomes with the Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) among children in Kiryandongo rising from 19.3 per cent in July to 22.8 per cent in September 2025, due to food insecurity.

Protection and Social Cohesion: In July 2025, intercommunal clashes in Kiryandongo Settlement flared up between the Sudanese and South Sudanese youth. The clash left 1 dead, 32 injured, and displaced hundreds of families to Bweyale and the reception centre. The disputes arise from competition for limited resources as the refugee population grows. Without urgent investment in community-based protection and peacebuilding, tensions risk reigniting as refugees continue to arrive. 68 per cent of refugees report psychosocial distress; however, due to underfunding in 2025, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) staff were reduced by 40 per cent.

South Sudan:

Thousands of refugees remain stranded at border points for long periods due to a lack of transport. The failure to undertake timely relocation from remote border areas contributes to the protection and health risks of refugees and increases the pressure on the local communities at the border locations, negatively impacting social cohesion.

Sudanese refugee women defy odds to rebuild their lives in Chad

A person wearing a light pink embroidered garment and an olive-green headscarf stands in front of a backdrop featuring blue fabric and patterned material, with some natural woven textures visible on the side.
Aboutengue, Chad
Fatima Zakaria, 27, fled Darfur after losing family to violence. Now in a refugee settlement, she leads women’s groups making crafts and incense for income and mutual support.
UNHCR/Ala Kheir

Fatima Zakaria’s life changed forever when her hometown of El Geneina in western Darfur was attacked in June 2023. The 27-year-old university graduate was building a promising future, working as a social worker at the Ministry of Social Affairs, and hoping to advance her studies, before those dreams were abruptly shattered.

“We were scattered. My family fled in different directions, and I got separated from my mother and some of my siblings,” she recalled.

She fled with her remaining family towards Chad until they were stopped by armed men near the border. “My father, my husband and three siblings were killed in front of my eyes, and I was shot in the right leg,” she said.

She would not have survived had it not been for other fleeing families, who helped her cross into Chad and reach the border town of Adré where she received treatment. She was later relocated to Aboutengue refugee settlement where, after 20 days, she discovered her mother and other siblings.

“I came to know that my mother and other siblings were still alive, thank God. I thought all of them had been killed, and I was left alone in this world,” she said.

For two years, the war in Sudan has unleashed relentless suffering, violence, and mass displacement, forcing nearly 13 million people from their homes, including 3.9 million who have fled to neighboring countries. Fatima is among more than 844,000 Sudanese refugees who have sought safety in eastern Chad since April 2023. In just the past month alone, over 68,000 refugees have arrived to the country’s Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces, with an average of 1,400 people crossing the border daily in recent days, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The vast majority are women and girls who are carrying the weight of their trauma while trying to survive in an unfamiliar land.

Creating hope and unity

Despite enduring the harshest realities of war, Fatima was determined to not only rebuild her life but also support other women in her community. Immediately after recovering from her injury, she mobilized fellow refugee women and formed an umbrella association that brings together various women’s groups in the settlement. They run income-generating activities such as handicrafts, making traditional incense and perfumes, and basket weaving.

“The majority of these women are widows, some of them lost their husbands in front of their eyes, and some don’t know their whereabouts,” said Fatima. “I created [the association] to empower them on how to generate income in the camp.”

She turned her small house into a center where the association holds weekly meetings to share ideas and experiences and discuss the challenges they are facing. The gathering also serves as a platform where any woman in the settlement is welcome to talk about her problems and receive emotional support.

“They have now overcome the barrier of fear and anxiety,” said Fatima. “What I see now, thanks to God, is that women can adapt to their new situation and raise their children … with hope for a better tomorrow, and that the situation will change, and one day they can return home.”

New beginnings

This spirit of hope and resilience among Sudanese refugee women radiates across eastern Chad. Take Radwa Abdelkarim, a 37-year-old mother of six, who ran a thriving business in her hometown of El Geneina.

“I used to sell fuel and other goods, and I used to supply local traders… “[But] the war took everything,” she said. “We lost our money, our relatives and neighbors. Some were killed, others disappeared and are still missing.”

After fleeing to safety in Chad in June 2023, she combined her entrepreneurial skills with cash assistance from UNHCR, to start baking and selling bread from her home in Farchana refugee settlement. She gradually expanded the business, eventually opening two grocery shops and a restaurant. She now employs 12 fellow refugees, proving that even in the face of great adversity, new beginnings are possible.

“I like helping people because everyone needs support,” she said. “That is why I support [fellow refugee women], so that we can grow together, and no one is left behind … it is important to stand with our brothers and sisters, to help them heal.”

Back in Aboutengue, on a recent sunny afternoon, Fatima chaired the weekly meeting of the women’s association in a small room of her home, which now serves as a headquarters for the group. Some of their products are on display, including colourful woven baskets and a variety of traditional bakhour [incense], which, when burned, release a rich fragrant smoke that keeps their dreams and memories of home alive.

Besides giving back to her community, Fatima has not given up on her dreams of advancing her education. “I want to advance my studies so I can take care of my mother, who is a widow like me, and my sisters, who are facing a similar situation … education will help us in the long run,” she said.

Source:

Syria Regional Response

People in Need at launch (Dec. 2025)
15.3 million
People Targeted at launch (Dec. 2025)
8.6 million
Requirements (US$) at launch (Dec. 2025)
2.8 billion
People urgently prioritized
8.6 million
Urgently prioritized requirements (US$)
2.8 billion

Crisis Overview

The December 2024 fall of the Assad Government marked a pivotal moment in Syria’s nearly 15-year displacement crisis, one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. Around 11 million Syrians remain displaced—including 4 million refugees, mainly in Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan, and 7 million internally displaced inside Syria. Political shifts have sparked hope for peace and eased some sanctions, but conditions inside Syria remain fragile, with widespread destruction, damaged infrastructure, unexploded ordnance, poor public services, and fragmented governance.

Since 8 December 2024, over 1.2 million Syrians have returned from neighboring countries, and 1.9 million internally displaced persons have returned to their areas of origin. UNHCR’s latest intentions survey, conducted in June-July 2025 and published in September, indicates that 18 per cent of refugees plan to return within a year, while 80 per cent hope to return eventually. Decisions are shaped by pull factors such as improved security, family reunification, and rebuilding opportunities, alongside push factors including high living costs, limited services, and job scarcity in host countries. Key barriers to return include inadequate housing, damaged infrastructure, lack of livelihoods, and safety concerns. Property ownership strongly influences return intentions, highlighting the need for targeted investment in housing and land systems.


Two children wearing school uniforms walk along a paved road in a camp-like setting.

Mafraq, Jordan

Ghazal Al-Hassan and her sister Ayat are Syrian refugees who live in Zaatari camp with their parents and siblings. They are excited to head back to school to learn and meet with their teachers and peers.

UNHCR/Shawkat Alharfoush

Host countries face mounting challenges linked to worsening economic conditions and the constrained funding environment. Over 70 per cent of Lebanese households struggle to meet basic needs, Jordan experiences declining international support while refugees face surmounting debt and reduced service availability, and Türkiye hosts 2.5 million Syrians amid rising inflation eroding purchasing power. Women, children, and people with disabilities face disproportionate protection risks as well as barriers to employment, social security, education and healthcare. Despite having transitioned out of the 3RP, Egypt and Iraq continue to host sizable Syrian refugee populations; national and regional authorities there have included them in development plans. As some returns have also been happening from both countries, partners will continue to support those opting for return as well as any residual humanitarian needs.

As the 3RP enters a critical phase in 2026, partners emphasize informed decision-making, voluntary returns, and continued support for host countries. Recognizing most Syrians will remain displaced, and returns will be gradual, sustained investments in both host nations and Syria remain essential.

Response priorities and financial requirements for 2026

In 2026, the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP) focuses on maintaining protection, strengthening inclusion, and building resilience for Syrians and vulnerable host communities in neighbouring countries, while also supporting those who choose to voluntarily return to Syria. The 3RP will continue to balance immediate humanitarian needs with longer-term investments that enable durable solutions.

Building on eRPIS insights outlined above, 3RP partners will continue providing counselling, legal aid, civil documentation support, transportation, and cash grants, while coordinating with humanitarian and development actors inside Syria to create conditions for sustainable safe and voluntary returns. At the same time, critical assistance in host countries will be maintained, recognizing that returns are expected to remain gradual.

The 3RP will continue to evolve to remain fit for purpose. Each country’s response will be increasingly grounded in national realities while maintaining regional coherence. The 2026 approach is structured around two key pillars, return and inclusion, to ensure sharper coordination and practical linkages with the response inside Syria. Efforts will focus on the quality and sustainability of returns, preserving protection and inclusion space in host countries, and narrowing priorities to achieve realistic targets amid severe funding constraints.

The 3RP’s regional strategy for 2026 is guided by its four strategic directions:

  • Protecting people, by ensuring safety from exploitation, violence, and mental health risks while empowering communities and promoting social stability;
  • Supporting durable solutions, through voluntary repatriation, resettlement, and inclusion opportunities in line with international standards;
  • Contributing to dignified lives, by addressing poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and protection risks that are linked to legal status, gender, age, and disability; and
  • Enhancing local and national capacities, by fostering partnerships that strengthen national systems, create jobs, promote economic growth, and support social cohesion.

A boy standing in a classroom

Mafraq city, Jordan

Mohammad Albaker, 7, a Syrian refugee, is a beneficiary of the literacy initiative in the camp. The literacy initiative in Zaatari camp was launched in 2021 by the refugees themselves to support other refugees of all ages in developing the ability to read and write.

UNHCR/Shawkat Alharfoush

The 3RP will continue to uphold protection principles, advocate to expand social protection services, and promote socio-economic inclusion and resilience across 3RP countries. In Türkiye, where around 2.4 million Syrians live under temporary protection, the focus will remain on inclusion in national systems and municipal service delivery, alongside monitoring and assistance for voluntary returns. In Lebanon, the government-led Lebanon Response Plan (LRP) will consolidate its structure, including a new Return Chapter linking in-country assistance to sustainable reintegration inside Syria, while maintaining essential humanitarian services in an extremely fragile economy. In Jordan, coordination will be streamlined to direct resources toward priority sectors, ensuring that key life-saving programmes continue even as voluntary returns rise.

Localization and national ownership remain central to the 3RP’s approach. Local authorities, national NGOs and refugee-led organizations are engaged in planning and delivery, ensuring that assistance is sustainable and aligned with government priorities. Collaboration with IFIs and development partners will further strengthen national systems, promote inclusion, and build resilience among host communities.

Preliminary planning foresees the 3RP targeting 3.7 million refugees and 4.9 million vulnerable host community members across Türkiye, Lebanon, and Jordan in 2026, with financial requirements estimated at $2.8 billion.

A regional and country-specific prioritization exercise was undertaken in October 2025 to ensure that the limited resources are directed toward the most urgent needs, guided by severity analysis and operational capacity. As of end-November 2025, the overall financial requirements for 2026 are estimated to be around 40 per cent lower than in 2025, reflecting the ongoing prioritization and streamlining of the response to align with realities on the ground.

Despite progress with prioritization, funding shortfalls continue to challenge operations across the region. Sustained donor engagement and flexible, multi-year financing will be necessary to preserve protection space, maintain essential services, and support pathways toward durable solutions.

2025 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Returnees | Regional

Icon Return

Across the region, 3RP partners continue to sustain protection services, provide solutions and resilience opportunities for millions of Syrians and host community members. By late 2025, more than 1.2 million Syrians had returned home since 8 December 2024, marking a significant shift following the political transition in Syria. Through the Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan (3RP), nearly $27 billion has been mobilized since 2015 to help neighboring countries maintain essential services and stability. This in turn has helped both Syrian refugees in making informed decisions about their future while supporting vulnerable host communities that have generously opened their doors for more than a decade.

Refugees | Regional

Icon Refugee

While the number of returns continues to rise, some 4 million Syrian refugees remain in host countries, 90 per cent of whom still live below the poverty line, underscoring the need for sustained international investment both inside Syria and across host countries.

Food | Egypt

Icon Food

Thousands of Syrian families were able to put food on the table thanks to food assistance, helping over 37,000 vulnerable Syrian refugees meet their essential nutrition needs and easing the daily stress of survival.



Cash Grant | Egypt

Icon Cash-transfer

Multi-purpose cash grants gave nearly 8,000 Syrian refugees the power to choose, whether it was paying rent, buying clothes for their children, or covering medical costs. This flexible support helped restore a sense of dignity and control in uncertain times.

Localization | Jordan

Icon Community-building

The Localization Task Team (LTT) under the Jordan Strategic Humanitarian Group (JoSH) was revitalized, with leadership from UN Women, the Jordan National NGOs Forum (JONAF), and the Jordan INGO Forum (JIF). Localization featured prominently on the agendas of both the ISWG and JoSH throughout 2025 and remains a strategic priority moving forward.

Local and national actors | Jordan

Icon NGO-office

The number of local actors co-leading sectoral responses increased significantly, with organizations such as the Royal Health Association co-leading the Health Working Group and ARDD co-leading the Economic Empowerment Working Group. This shift reflects a broader commitment to local ownership and sustainability.

Protection | Türkiye

Icon Protection

By the third quarter of 2025, 341,200 individuals across Türkiye accessed protection services and support through a network of community centres and humanitarian outreach efforts, strengthening their access to rights and essential assistance.

Information campaigns | Türkiye

Icon Information-management

As of the third quarter of 2025, 726,875 individuals were reached through information campaigns and awareness-raising initiatives on rights, entitlements, services, and assistance, including information on voluntary return procedures and conditions, contributing to more informed decision-making and improved access to protection and assistance mechanisms.

Cash Assistance | Lebanon

Icon Cash-transfer

By mid-2025, a total of 842,260 individuals received regular unconditional and unrestricted Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance by Basic Assistance sector to meet basic needs, representing 29.5 percent of the targeted population (569,489 households). This included 129,955 displaced Syrian households (77.3%), 12,286 Lebanese households (7.3%), 8,850 Palestinian households from Syria (5.3%), 15,775 Palestinian households from Lebanon (9.4%), and 1,356 households of other nationalities (0.8%).

Health | Lebanon

Icon Health

By mid-2025, 1.19 million subsidized health consultations were provided through the Health sector nationwide, including 75,000 antenatal care and 57,000 mental health session.

Nutrition | Lebanon

Icon Nutrition

The Nutrition sector reached 77,000 children with Vitamin A supplementation and 13,000 caregivers with infant feeding counselling. Through the Education sector, 406,000 children accessed formal education and 45,000 participated in non-formal learning.

Protection | Lebanon

Icon Protection

The Protection sector reached 684,000 individuals, including 53,000 survivors and at-risk persons accessing specialized protection services. Under Child Protection, over 52,000 children received psychosocial support and case management, while under GBV, more than 52,000 women and girls accessed quality response services and 77,000 participated in prevention and empowerment activities.

Food | Lebanon

Icon Food

The Food Security and Agriculture sector assisted 1.8 million people through food or cash assistance and supported 5,000 farmers with livelihood inputs.

WASH | Lebanon

Icon Water-Sanitation-and-Hygiene

WASH partners ensured access to safe water for nearly 187,000 people and repaired or solarized key water stations, while the Shelter sector supported 57,000 individuals through weatherproofing, repairs, and cash-for-rent assistance, and rehabilitated 85 collective sites for displaced families.

Livelihood | Lebanon

Icon Livelihood

The Livelihoods sector enabled 9,600 MSMEs to sustain operations and created or maintained 12,900 jobs, while Social Stability partners implemented 55 basic service delivery projects, investing USD 7.2 million to strengthen municipal resilience and reduce local tensions across high-risk areas.

An adult sits at a table with a child, building a colorful structure from large plastic blocks in a room with other children in the background.

Mafraq city, Jordan

Suna Attieh from the UNHCR protection unit was building Lego bricks with Waleed Khalid, 10, a Syrian refugee, as part of the playful activities at the children's summer club

UNHCR/Shawkat Alharfoush

Consequences of funding cuts

Refugees | Jordan

Icon Refugee

With a large proportion of Syrian refugees expected to remain in Jordan in 2026, a reduction in humanitarian assistance risks further deterioration of socio-economic conditions, increasing poverty, debt, and harmful coping mechanisms among both refugees and vulnerable Jordanians.

Underfunding | Lebanon

Icon Fund

If funding does not improve, more than 300,000 vulnerable households will remain without critical cash support through 2026, forcing families to resort to harmful coping mechanisms such as reducing meals, accumulating debt, or engaging in child labour and child marriage. MPCA is often the first line of support enabling households to access essential services.

Health | Lebanon

Icon Health

In Health, around 1.4 million people risk losing access to primary healthcare, with essential refugee health services expected to phase out by November 2025. In Nutrition, an estimated 30,000 children under 2 years of age are at increased risk of malnutrition and developmental delays due to reduced infant feeding and maternal nutrition support.

Education | Lebanon

Icon Education

In Education, underfunding threatens learning continuity for over 200,000 children, increasing dropout and child labour risks.

Protection | Lebanon

Icon Protection

In Protection, service gaps leave survivors of violence and at-risk groups without timely support, while 87% of displaced Syrian households have already taken on debt to cope. In Child Protection, thousands of children risk losing access to psychosocial support, case management, and safe spaces, while in GBV, survivors face growing barriers to specialized services and dignity kits.

Food Security | Lebanon

Icon Food-Security

In Food Security, agricultural livelihoods remain unrecovered, heightening dependence on aid. Many more vulnerable people currently in IPC Phase 3 could deteriorate into Phase 4, facing severe food insecurity and resorting to harmful coping mechanisms

Refugee households | Türkiye

Icon House

90% of refugee households in Türkiye continue to report being unable to fully meet their basic needs, while 40% indicate that they are completely unable to do so. Among those employed, 81% report working in insecure and informal daily labour.

Children | Türkiye

Icon Children

Approximately a quarter of a million refugee children remain out of school, with 32% of families citing financial difficulties as the primary barrier to enrolling and retaining their children in education.

Threads of Hope: How Nashwa El Abrash Weaves Resilience and Heritage

Person kneeling on a patterned rug, operating a traditional wooden loom with threads stretched across it in a simple indoor setting.
Alexandria, Egypt
Syrian refugee Nashwa El Abrash learned macramé through UNHCR training.
UNHCR/Pedro Costa Gomes

Syrian refugee Nashwa El Abrash arrived in Egypt in 2012 with her husband and six children. After completing a UNHCR-supported macramé training, she now crafts handmade pieces sold through the MADE51 initiative, connecting refugee artisans to global markets. Her work provides income and preserves cultural heritage, demonstrating the resilience and creativity that sustain many Syrian families in exile.

Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan

People in Need at launch (Dec. 2025)
2.2 million
People Targeted at launch (Dec. 2025)
2.2 million
Requirements (US$) at launch (Dec. 2025)
828.7 million
People urgently prioritized
1.8 million
Urgently prioritized requirements (US$)
423 million

Crisis Overview

Uganda hosts nearly 2 million refugees, the largest refugee population in Africa, including over 1 million children. Most have fled South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Sudan. Over the last five years, an average of 120,000 people arrived in the country, and in 2025, an average of 460 people per day arrived at the peak. More than 92 per cent of the refugees live in 13 settlements alongside host communities grappling with drought, flooding, deforestation, and overstretched services. Kampala’s 159,000 urban refugees struggle with unemployment, poor housing, limited education, and gender-based violence.

A surge in arrivals and an unprecedented funding shortfall have strained the humanitarian response. Partners are forced to make decisions about what - and whom - to prioritize. Critical assistance in health, education, water, GBV prevention, mental health and psychosocial support, child protection, and peaceful coexistence has been scaled back to allow emergency assistance for new arrivals in 2025.

A large group of children seated closely together inside a simple wooden classroom, with an instructor standing at the front.

Uganda

Overcrowded schools don’t dampen the spirit of learning at Koro Primary School in Bidibidi Settlement.

UNHCR/Ssozi Mukasa Daniel

Despite Uganda’s progressive asylum policies including land allocation, freedom of movement, the right to work, and access to national services, refugee vulnerability is deepening with 94 per cent identified as in need and living in underserved regions of the country where 83 per cent of the host community are also classified as in need. Droughts and floods undermine agricultural productivity, driving families to skip meals, incur debt, and engage in child labour to survive. Women, children, and persons with disabilities are disproportionately affected. Efforts to promote self-reliance are hindered by shrinking resources, small plot sizes, and administrative barriers to accessing work permits.

Given the volatile situation in the neighbouring conflict-affected countries, arrivals are expected to continue, with a few returns in 2026. Predictable investment, stronger coordination, and support for high-need settlements are urgently needed to sustain progress in empowering refugees and host communities while ensuring that the most vulnerable are assisted.

Response priorities and financial requirements for 2026

In a context of declining humanitarian resources and rising needs, the 2026 Uganda refugee response will apply a tiered and data-driven prioritization approach. This ensures life-saving and protection-critical interventions are delivered first, while also pursuing the long-term elements for sustainability, integration, and resilience, recognizing that these are essential for maintaining Uganda’s successful and forward-looking refugee model as well as reducing humanitarian costs in the long term.

The prioritization exercise is structured around three objectives:

(i) life-saving protection and emergency assistance;
(ii) sustaining essential basic services; and
(iii) strengthening resilience and feasible integration into national systems.

Targeting is informed by severity-of-needs analysis derived from multisector assessments and community consultations. This includes village-level targeting in high-influx areas and prioritization of newly arrived refugees at points of entry, and extremely vulnerable households in Bidibidi, Palorinya, Rhino Camp settlements, and other receiving locations. Urban refugees with limited access to national services also remain a priority.

Given operational realities, including staffing reductions across multiple sectors, the response anticipates reaching approximately 1.78 million refugees with multisectoral support.

Prioritized Responses

Tier 1: Lifesaving:

  • Protection: reception, registration, critical case management, GBV response, child protection, legal assistance, and strengthened community-based safety mechanisms.
  • Health and Nutrition: outbreak response, primary health care, emergency reproductive health, treatment of severe malnutrition and anemia, and essential medicine supply.
  • Food Security: targeted food and cash assistance for the most vulnerable, with a process that allows refugees to appeal their vulnerability status, though reach will depend on available funding.
  • WASH: 15 liters per person per day of clean water, emergency sanitation, water quality monitoring, desludging, and hygiene promotion.
  • Shelter/NFIs: emergency shelter kits, site planning, and Core Relief Items for new arrivals.
  • Livelihoods: emergency household food production and immediate income-generation support.

  • Education: emergency enrollment, learning materials, and limited teacher recruitment in high-influx sites.

A group of people standing in line outdoors at a registration point, where staff seated at tables with laptops are assisting them.

Uganda

Newly arrived refugees undergo medical screening at Kabazana Reception Center in Isingiro District before relocation to Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

UNHCR/ Frank Walusimbi

Tier 2: Essential Services: Core health, protection, education, and livelihoods services will continue but with scaled-back coverage and reduced quality.

Tier 3: Resilience & Systems Integration: Environmental management, land planning, and early self-reliance initiatives to be implemented based on funding availability.

The response will expand localization, with emphasis on gradually handing over responsibilities to community structures, refugee-led organizations, and district authorities where feasible. Targeting and registration systems will be streamlined to reduce duplication and improve accuracy, while cash-based assistance will be increased where market conditions and funding allow. Digital platforms and community feedback mechanisms will strengthen accountability, transparency, and cost-efficiency.

Uganda now stands at a critical juncture. A steady flow of refugees from South Sudan, the DRC, and Sudan—combined with climate shocks, overstretched services, reduced staffing, and volatile funding—has pushed the response to its limits. Increasingly earmarked humanitarian financing leaves little room to adapt to fast-changing needs, and deep funding reductions have forced abrupt programme cuts across food assistance, protection, and essential services. Meeting the moment will require difficult prioritization, renewed investment, and greater reliance on empowered communities, district authorities, and development partners to safeguard resilience and keep vital services functioning.

2025 in review: Response highlights and consequences of inaction

Response highlights

Protection

Icon Protection

Asylum & Access to Justice: 145,000 new refugee applicants registered and documented; 118,083 received legal aid; 55,168 complaints.
Child Protection: 26,245 children supported (including 10,073 unaccompanied/separated); 133,100 children reached through community-based initiatives.

WASH

Icon Water-Sanitation-and-Hygiene

Refugees in long-established settlements received an average of 18 liters per person per day, while those in newer settlements accessed 9 liters per person per day.

Over 70 per cent of water supplied in refugee settlements was pumped using renewable energy, mainly solar, significantly lowering operating costs and reducing environmental impact.

Education

Icon Education

717,685 learners (424,474 refugees and 293,211 nationals) were enrolled across all education levels with 29,256 learners with disabilities were enrolled with gross enrollment of 34 per cent in pre-primary, 79 per cent in primary, and 10 per cent in secondary education, while 3,936 teachers were supported to deliver quality learning.

29,256 learners with disabilities were enrolled (up from 28,341 in Term I), with 1,147 receiving assistive devices, and 11,718 overaged or out-of-school learners, including 9,518 refugees, accessed Accelerated Education Programmes (AEPs).

Health & Nutrition

Icon Health

Refugees accessed care through 89 static health facilities and outreach posts, helping to maintain key health indicators within acceptable thresholds. Under-five and crude mortality rates dropped sharply (from 0.10 in Q2 to 0.03 in Q3) signaling improved service delivery, effective disease control, and community health engagement.

Food security

Icon Food-Security

608,628 refugees received monthly food assistance, delivered through a mix of in-kind support (46 per cent) and cash-based transfers (64 per cent), totaling USD 5.3 million and 6,412.7 metric tons of food. To strengthen targeting and accountability, refugees initially deprioritized from food support were given a chance to appeal. Of the 60,846 households (390,118 individuals) who submitted appeals, 46,986 were reclassified into the highest-priority category and reinstated for General Food Assistance in September 2025.

Shelter, Settlement & NFI

Icon Shelter

100 per cent of the 68,184 newly arrived refugee households received minimum shelter support. To promote self-reliance and support productive use of land, 23,660 plots were demarcated for livelihood activities across settlements. 648 refugees with specific needs were assisted with semi-permanent shelters, providing enhanced protection and stability for the most vulnerable households.

Energy & Environment

Icon Environment

1,232 hectares of new woodlots were established and 2,034 hectares maintained, contributing to reforestation and carbon sequestration.

To promote clean energy access, 19,654 households adopted energy-efficient technologies, while 83 institutions transitioned to cleaner cooking solutions. 787 local artisans were trained and certified in fabricating and constructing efficient cookstoves, and 0.7 tons of briquettes were produced to provide alternative, sustainable fuel sources.

Livelihood and resilience

Icon Livelihood

46,647 refugee households were supported with 13,046 acres of agricultural land, enhancing food production and self-reliance.

Consequences of funding cuts

Protection:

  • Loss of experienced Child Protection and GBV staff has weakened survivor-centred care, leaving trauma unaddressed and protection gaps widening. GBV cases rose 32% to 3,221 by September 2025, while Child Protection cases surged 37% to 26,245 compared to the same period in 2024.
  • With mental health staffing down by 40%, support has sharply declined even as needs escalate—68% of refugees, especially youth (15–24), are experiencing mental health issues, including attempted suicides.

Food Security:

  • WFP reduced food assistance from 1.6 million to 630,000 refugees, phasing out over 1 million people from food support in 2025.
  • New arrivals who currently receive the highest level of assistance only get 60 per cent of the standard food ration (equivalent to approximately USD 8 per person per month). After the first six months, food assistance is reduced, and support is determined based on vulnerability criteria. The most vulnerable households (Category 1) now receive only 40 per cent of the standard ration, while Category 2 households receive as little as 22 per cent (approximately USD 2.70 per person per month) of the full recommended daily amount. These are the lowest food assistance rations for refugees in East Africa. As of October 2025, 67 per cent of refugees in Uganda (Category 3) are not receiving any form of food assistance, despite increasing vulnerability across the population. While classified as less vulnerable, Category 3 households are not self-sufficient and remain at risk, excluded from assistance solely due to funding shortfalls.
  • Targeted supplementary feeding in eight refugee locations was closed due to underfunding. Settlements with new arrivals tend to be the most affected by malnutrition
  • The 2025 Food and Nutrition Security and Agriculture assessment indicates worsening food insecurity in 8 of the 13 refugee settlements, with 63 per cent of refugee households now facing food insecurity—more than double the rate among host communities (29 per cent). Additionally, Global Acute Malnutrition increased from 5.4 per cent in 2024 to 7.8 per cent at mid-2025, with the West Nile having the highest rate, at 9.4 per cent.

A large group of people standing in a queue outdoors, with some individuals being checked using a handheld thermometer. Trees and buildings are visible in the background.

Uganda

Newly arrived refugees undergo medical screening at Kabazana Reception Center in Isingiro District before relocation to Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

UNHCR/ Frank Walusimbi

Education:

  • Funding cuts are hitting education very hard at a time when Uganda now hosts over 1 million refugee children.
  • Funding cuts in early 2025 led to the laying off of 2,000 teachers and reduced partner investments in school infrastructure and learning materials.
  • The pupil–teacher ratio worsened from 1:77 (2024) to 1:117 (2025)—more than double the national standard of 1:53, with nearly 120 students per classroom. The most critical overcrowding at the primary level was observed in Rhino (163:1), Imvepi (158:1), Kyangwali (143:1), and Kyaka (153:1). At the secondary level, the highest pupil–classroom ratios were recorded in Adjumani (148:1), Kiryandongo (114:1), Palabek (131:1), and Kyangwali (208:1).
  • Nakivale and Kiryandongo settlements report the highest rates of out-of-school children.
  • 2,580additional teachers will be needed in 2026 to meet minimum standards.
  • Without additional support, community schools (partner-supported, not government-run) may close or shift to community self-management and teachers in government-run schools may be redeployed to cover gaps, undermining integration efforts.
  • Education for nearly 300,000 refugee learners (102,700 in community schools and 197,200 in government-run schools) and 92,800 Ugandan learners (16,700 in community schools and 76,100 in government-run schools) will be adversely affected.

WASH:

  • Water access is high in coverage but low in quantity: 77 per cent of refugees and 66 per cent of host communities have basic water services, but only one-third meet the SPHERE minimum standard of 20 liters per person per day (lpd). Zones hosting new arrivals receive below 10 lpd, with some areas receiving as little as 5 lpd.
  • Funding cuts in 2025 reduced operations and maintenance capacity and slowed infrastructure development and repairs, leading to a 30 per cent reduction in water supply to refugees in protracted settlements.
  • Disparities in access to water persist across refugee settlements, with newly arrived populations being the most affected. This inequitable access has led to tensions and disputes within communities.

Health and Nutrition

  • Over 438 healthcare workers were laid off, resulting in longer travel distances and increased waiting times.
  • The 2025 FSNA results show rising levels of acute malnutrition and anemia across all settlements, largely driven by reduced support for food assistance, healthcare, livelihoods, and water services. Acute malnutrition rates in 2025 (7.8 per cent) have reverted to levels seen in 2022 and 2023, erasing the improvements achieved in 2024 (5.4 per cent). Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) among children under five increased by 2.4 percentage points—a 35 per cent rise compared to 2024—with rates more than tripling in Bidibidi and doubling in Kyangwali, Nakivale, and Oruchinga settlements. Funding shortfalls also led to the discontinuation of the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme (TSFP) in seven locations for pregnant and lactating women, contributing to a worsening nutrition situation among new arrivals.

The Silent Crisis: Funding Shortages Deepen Malnutrition Among Uganda’s Refugees

A large crowd of people gathered outdoors in front of several buildings, forming a long line or cluster. The scene includes dirt ground, colorful clothing, and a cloudy sky with hills in the background
Uganda
The silent crisis-funding shortages deepen malnutrition among Uganda's refugees.
UNHCR/ Yonna Tukundane

For Fancine and thousands like her, these funding shortages are not abstract figures—they represent a matter of survival

In the Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda’s southwest, Fancine, 20, waits in line for her food ration, cradling her visibly undernourished, months-old baby Espoir, who winces and cries frequently. The wait is painful, but it’s just one chapter in her story of survival. Her journey, marked by violence and loss, began in Ruchuro, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where she fled to escape escalating conflict.

“We were farming in my garden with my husband when we heard bullets,” Fancine recounts, her voice trembling. “We had to flee with my child to Uganda, searching for peace. My husband was killed as we fled, leaving me alone with my child.”

Upon arrival at Nyakabande Transit Centre in Kisoro District, Fancine and Espoir were immediately screened for malnutrition and other illnesses, part of a joint emergency response supported by UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health, and partners. Espoir was diagnosed with acute malnutrition and quickly received treatment.

Through consistent medical care and the provision of specialised nutritious foods supplied by WFP and distributed under UNHCR’s coordination, Espoir began visibly recovering. Regular nutrition education sessions delivered by Medical Teams International, a health partner in the response, helped Fancine learn how to prepare balanced meals using the limited food items available and prevent diseases.

Espoir’s early recovery was possible thanks to joint efforts by all partners working together to address urgent nutrition needs at transit and reception centres. In April 2025 alone, 8,885 children under five and 2,424 pregnant and breastfeeding women have been reached through these efforts across Nyakabande, Kabazana, and Matanda.

Due to severe funding constraints, WFP has had to prioritise nutrition support at transit and reception centres only, where malnutrition rates are critically high. Comprehensive services like the Maternal and Child Health Nutrition Programme and the broader Targeted Supplementary Feeding Programme have been suspended across most settlements, including in Nakivale, where Fancine has been relocated. This leaves over 51,000 children under two and 42,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women at risk of malnutrition.

This comes at a time when food rations have been slashed, with monthly support to the equivalent of $4.9 per person per month for highly vulnerable refugees and $2.70 per person per month for moderately vulnerable refugees. These are the lowest ration sizes WFP is providing in East Africa.

Meanwhile, UNHCR and UNICEF continue supporting treatment services for severe acute malnutrition across refugee settlements but face increasing challenges due to shortages of human resources, nutrition commodities, and medical supplies. Uganda’s national nutrition pipeline, managed by the National Medical Stores, is projected to break by June 2025, threatening the continuity of treatment for nearly 20,000 children.

Today, Espoir’s recovery from malnutrition is under threat due to the reduced food rations, which may cause him to fall back into malnutrition. “What I need most is help with medical care and food for my child,” Fancine says, determination in her eyes despite everything she’s endured.

Global Appeal with Local Consequences

Despite significant successes, funding cuts have had far-reaching consequences beyond immediate hunger. The sharp increase in refugee arrivals - particularly from the DRC, South Sudan and Sudan – with over 90,000 refugees arriving in Uganda by April 2025 alone, has worsened malnutrition, with Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates spiking as high as 21.5% among newly arriving refugees—a critical situation requiring urgent and continued nutrition support.

“The influx of refugees opens us up to diseases we’ve not dealt with before. Funding cuts have reduced support for maternal and child health programmes, leading to increased anaemia and malnutrition,” explained Dr. Alex Paul Tezita, the in-charge at the Panyadoli Health Centre in the Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement, home to over 144,000 refugees, mainly from Sudan, South Sudan and the DRC. “We’ve also seen a decline in antenatal and postnatal care attendance.”

The Human Cost of Funding Shortages

As of April 2025, Uganda hosts over 1.8 million refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from the DRC, Sudan, and South Sudan. Despite the increase in numbers, only 9% of the Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan (UCRRP) for Quarter 1 of 2025 has been funded — a 26% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. This severe underfunding has left critical gaps, particularly in Protection (68% decrease) and Health and Nutrition (61% decrease), impacting the ability of WFP, UNHCR, and UNICEF to meet urgent needs.

An emergency appeal of $44 million has been launched by Inter-Agency partners to support the response to 80,000 expected new arrivals from the DRC by September 2025. The response involves seven UN agencies, 15 international NGOs, and two national partners, and forms part of the Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan (UCRRP). The appeal focuses on addressing urgent, life-saving needs, including nutrition, as malnutrition remains a critical concern - especially among children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable groups.

For Fancine and thousands like her, these funding shortages are not abstract figures—they represent a matter of survival. For now, her daily struggle continues, sustained only by hope—reflected in her child’s name, Espoir, the French word for “hope”—that help will soon arrive for both of them.

Source:

References

  1. https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/sudansituation
  2. Between 2023 and 2025, approximately 850,000 refugees returned from Sudan, primarily to South Sudan, CAR, and Ethiopia, under adverse conditions.
  3. An estimated 2.6 million displaced Sudanese have returned since 2024, including approximately 485,500 refugees returning to Sudan in 2025.
  4. [1] UNHCR Operational Data Portal, Syria Regional Refugee Response, accessed on 26 October 2025; NB: Additionally, approx. 700,000 refugees known to UNHCR in Lebanon are not formally registered hence not included in the data portal
  5. [2] UNHCR CORE, Syria Governorates IDPs and IDP Returnees Overview (As of 1 October 2025)
  6. [3] As of 07 November 2025.
  7. [4] UNHCR’s Enhanced Regional Perceptions and Intentions Survey (eRPIS, September 2025)
  8. [5] UNHCR’s Enhanced Regional Perceptions and Intentions Survey (eRPIS, September 2025)
  9. Efforts are now coordinated under the Egypt Refugee and Resilience Response Plan (ERRRP), the first nationally endorsed refugee and resilience framework.
  10. [1] Financial requirements, as well as the figures for people in need, people targeted, and people prioritized under the 2026 3RP, are preliminary and pending finalization and approval by partners and host governments.
  11. The Multi-Sectoral Needs Assessment (MSNA) 2024 findings on the severity of impact of a crisis (on a scale from 1 to 4/4+) based on needs across areas—like food, water, health, shelter, and education. Acute needs are those expressed on a scale of 4 and above. Among them, 24% of refugees and 17% of host community members are in acute need.