At the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review, UNDP highlighted how development-focused approaches help both refugees and host communities recover and rebuild amid growing displacement. Conflict, disasters, and climate shocks are driving unprecedented levels of displacement, yet displaced people and their host communities continue to work toward restoring dignity, livelihoods, and stability. UNDP supports these efforts by strengthening national systems, expanding livelihood opportunities, and helping local institutions manage the pressures of forced displacement.
In Afghanistan, over 2.3 million people returned in 2025 after years in Iran and Pakistan, placing intense strain on fragile services and resources. UNDP’s area-based approach links livelihoods, social cohesion, housing, basic services, and local governance to help families rebuild. From restoring markets to expanding access to jobs, healthcare, education, and energy, these interventions support displaced families in regaining stability and self-reliance.
Uganda hosts nearly two million refugees, creating pressure on land and natural resources. UNDP supports green livelihood initiatives, such as sustainable forestry projects, which provide income while enhancing climate resilience for both refugee and host communities. Additional interventions include rehabilitating roads to improve market and school access and supporting small businesses to diversify incomes, reducing dependence on overstretched local services.
In Syria, returning displaced families in Tartous faced overwhelmed waste management systems, creating public health risks. UNDP launched a solid waste management initiative employing 150 displaced or returning workers to remove debris. The project restored basic services, improved hygiene, created jobs, and benefited over 20,000 people across host and returning communities.
By the end of 2024, global displacement reached 117 million people, with low- and middle-income countries hosting 2.5 times more refugees than high-income countries despite their own development challenges. The Global Refugee Forum serves as the largest global platform to track progress and address gaps in refugee support. UNDP has invested over $618 million across more than 60 displacement-affected countries, providing governance support, legal aid, housing and land assistance, and climate adaptation initiatives to strengthen both host and displaced communities.
Partnerships such as Japan’s HDP Nexus Pledge exemplify efforts to bridge humanitarian and development responses. This pledge encourages integrated approaches across sectors including agriculture, energy, and climate action, improving coordination and enabling flexible financing to rebuild communities. In Ukraine, collaboration with Japan has supported debris removal, mine action, livelihood recovery, and restoration of electricity and heating for over nine million people.
UNDP’s initiatives demonstrate that sustainable recovery goes beyond immediate survival, linking displacement responses to national systems, climate adaptation, livelihoods, and joint financing mechanisms. Sustained international solidarity and coordinated partnerships allow displaced people and host communities to rebuild stronger, safer, and more resilient futures.
