Global Compact on Refugees Indicator Brief 2026

In support of host countries, States and relevant stakeholders will contribute resources and expertise towards policies and programmes that take into account the specific vulnerabilities and protection needs of girls and boys…

- Global Compact on Refugees, paragraph 76

By the end of 2025, there were 14 million refugee children worldwide. Between 2018 and 2025, an estimated 2.4 million children were born as refugees, a generation growing up in exile for whom displacement can disrupt safety, education, health care and future opportunities. The Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) recognizes that children face distinct risks in displacement, and calls for age-sensitive, inclusive responses that protect them and ensure their access to essential services.

This first thematic GCR Indicator Brief examines the situation of refugee children through the lens of the Global Compact on Refugees. Drawing on the GCR Indicator Framework and related data, it highlights where progress has been made, where gaps remain and where further action is needed, including in advancing UNHCR’s 50 by 35 vision of expanding opportunities for refugees to achieve greater self-reliance and access pathways to solutions by 2035. 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.

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