Refugee numbers have doubled in last decade - U.N.

Nearly 80 million people, half of them children, were displaced from their homes at the end of 2019, according to a new report by the United Nations refugee agency, released to coincide with World Refugee Day.

Edward Baran reports.

New figures show nearly 80 million people, half of them children, were displaced from their homes at the end of 2019.

Forced out by conflict, food insecurity and economic upheaval.

The numbers displaced are nearly twice as many as a decade ago, according to a new report from the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR, released to coincide with World Refugee Day.

Hotspots in Africa include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel region.

Clementine Nkweta-Salami is the director of the UNHCR's regional bureau in East Africa.

"I think we are witnessing today record levels of forced displacement, where almost close to 80 million people are displaced worldwide.

This breaks down as one per cent of humanity.

One in every 97 persons is forcibly displaced." Nkweta-Salami also voiced concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on refugee camps.

The UN's refugee agency and the government of Kenya have ramped up their health response in the Dadaab refugee camp, located in eastern Kenya close to Somalia.

It is currently home to more than 217,000 refugees and poor sanitation and overcrowding are major concerns.