The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has issued an urgent call for international support to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Sahel. With nearly 4 million people displaced across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and neighboring countries, the situation has worsened by two-thirds over the past five years due to escalating insecurity, limited access to essential services, and the compounding effects of climate change.
Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, UNHCR’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, highlighted the growing challenges during a press briefing: « Most internally displaced persons remain within their countries, but cross-border movements are increasing, placing additional strain on host communities and national systems. »
funding gaps and dire consequences
The humanitarian response in the Sahel is facing severe funding shortages, with needs rising while resources shrink. Since 2022, the region has seen a significant decline in available funds despite a surge in urgent requirements. This year, the UNHCR has received less than one-third of its $409 million funding appeal, jeopardizing critical operations such as registration, documentation, education, healthcare, and shelter.
Over 212,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger remain unregistered, restricting their access to essential services and increasing risks of arbitrary detention and harassment. The ongoing violence by jihadist groups further exacerbates the crisis, exposing communities to forced recruitment, movement restrictions, and human rights abuses.
Women and children make up 80% of the forcibly displaced population, with gender-based violence remaining a pervasive issue. According to the Inter-Agency Protection Monitoring System for West and Central Africa, incidents of gender-based violence have risen sharply this year.
education and healthcare under threat
The escalating insecurity has forced over 900 health facilities to close, depriving millions of access to critical medical care. Additionally, more than 14,800 schools have shut down across the region as of mid-2025, leaving 3 million children without education and safe spaces. This disruption increases the vulnerability of displaced youth to forced recruitment and human trafficking.
Food insecurity has also become a major driver of displacement, with the proportion of displaced individuals and host community members citing it as a cause doubling in recent years. The UNHCR warns that climate-related shocks are intensifying competition for scarce resources like land and water, further straining social cohesion and peaceful coexistence with host communities.
Without renewed international commitment, the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel risks deepening, with devastating consequences for millions of vulnerable people.