By the end of 2025, there were 14 million refugee children worldwide. An estimated 2.4 million of them were born as refugees between 2018 and 2025. They are a generation growing up in exile, and displacement can disrupt their safety, education, health care and future opportunities. This is the first thematic brief in the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) Indicator Brief series, and it looks at the situation of refugee children. The GCR recognises that children face distinct risks in displacement and calls for age-sensitive, inclusive responses that protect them and give them access to essential services.
Drawing on the GCR Indicator Framework and related data, the brief shows where progress has been made, where gaps remain and where further action is needed. This includes progress towards UNHCR’s 50 by 35 vision, which aims to expand refugees’ opportunities for self-reliance and their access to pathways to solutions by 2035. The brief was released ahead of the High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection and Solutions 2026. It provides evidence to inform priorities and pledges in the lead-up to the Global Refugee Forum 2027.
