More than 50 million people around the world have been forced out of their homes, according to a new UN report.
This is the highest number of displaced individuals since the WWII era and six million more than last year's numbers.
According to the Associated Press:
"Now we have a multiplication of new crises," UN High Commissioner Antonio Guterres said. "Today we not only have an absence of a global governance system, but we have sort of an unclear sense of power in the world."
The daunting numbers—which are straining the resources of host countries and aid organizations alike—also are a stark reflection of the ongoing conflicts and persecutions from Syria to the Central African Republic and South Sudan.
The conflict in Syria has contributed significantly to the rise of refugees and asylum seekers. The violence has driven more than 9 million people from their homes and has left 6.5 million displaced.