UNHCR Launches Routes Monitor to Track Global Refugee and Migrant Movements

UNHCR says the tool will strengthen coordinated responses and help deliver better protection and solutions where people are, reducing reliance on dangerous routes.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has launched the Routes Monitor, a new data platform providing the most comprehensive picture to date of mixed refugee and migrant movements across major global routes.

Updated monthly, the platform consolidates information from UNHCR, national authorities, UN and NGO partners, as well as media and social media monitoring, offering a clearer understanding of evolving trends, protection risks and humanitarian needs along entire journeys.

UNHCR says the tool will strengthen coordinated responses and help deliver better protection and solutions where people are, reducing reliance on dangerous routes.

A New Tool for Complex Global Movements

The Routes Monitor focuses on today’s increasingly complex population movements, where refugees fleeing conflict and persecution often travel alongside others moving for different reasons.

Additional routes and route segments will be added progressively, allowing the platform to expand over time.

“This tool gives us a unique, comparative view of movements from across countries and regions,” said Elizabeth Tan, UNHCR’s Director of the Division of Protection and Solutions.

“It helps us identify patterns and shifts in trends along routes, supporting more coordinated responses that prioritize safety and solutions.”

Nearly 200,000 Departures Recorded in 2025

UNHCR reported that 2025 data show:

• Nearly 200,000 recorded departures

• More than 151,000 recorded arrivals

• Movements spanning Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia

While Mediterranean routes currently account for more recorded data due to established monitoring systems, UNHCR emphasized they represent only part of a wider global landscape.

Movements also continue along:

• The Western Africa–Atlantic corridor

• The Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea routes

However, visibility remains uneven in areas where access, reporting and verification are limited.

Thousands of Deaths at Sea Likely Underestimated

The platform recorded more than 2,600 deaths and disappearances at sea in 2025 across monitored routes.

UNHCR cautioned that this figure is likely an underestimate of the true human cost, as many tragedies occur in remote maritime areas where reporting is difficult.

Border Restrictions Push People Toward Greater Risk

UNHCR noted that decreases in recorded arrivals often reflect tightened border enforcement rather than reduced displacement.

“Fewer arrivals do not mean fewer people are fleeing danger,” Tan said.

“Restrictions may limit onward movement, but they also push people into more remote, risky routes. The drivers of displacement remain strong, and protection needs remain urgent.”

Supporting Protection, Advocacy and Solutions

The Routes Monitor is designed to support practitioners, including governments, humanitarian organizations, refugee-led groups and academic institutions.

By making route data easier to access and compare, UNHCR hopes the platform will close information gaps, strengthen advocacy and improve protection for people forced to flee.

The agency stressed that the platform is ultimately about preventing loss of life and ensuring that refugees and migrants have access to safety, rights and viable alternatives to perilous journeys.