Nawala Ateib Mahamat (in yellow), refugee community leader in Farchana camp, Chad, with her sister Fara and children. They fled brutal violence in Al Geneina, Sudan, in May 2023. LWF supports Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad with water and sanitation. Photo: LWF/C. Kästner-Meyer
"A crisis of global responsibility”
(LWI) – On World Refugee Day 2025, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) urges the international community to reaffirm its commitment to protecting and supporting people forced to flee their homes. As the United Nations announced a new record of more than 122 million people displaced globally due to war, violence, and persecution, the LWF is calling attention to both the scale of need and the sharp decline in resources available to meet it.
“Many of these people have fled conflicts and wars. They are not just statistics; they are children, parents, and elders seeking safety, dignity, and a chance to rebuild their lives,” said Maria Immonen, Director of LWF World Service. “This is not only a funding crisis; it is a crisis of global responsibility. When those with power and resources step back, those who are displaced suffer the most.”
This is not only a funding crisis—it is a crisis of global responsibility. When those with power and resources step back, those who are displaced suffer the most.
Maria IMMONEN, Director LWF World Service
Lack of respect for International Humanitarian Law
In 2024, LWF through its humanitarian arm, LWF World Service, supported 2.5 million people, offering food, shelter, education, protection, and other services. LWF teams are present in some of the world’s most dangerous and complex emergencies, responding to emergencies caused by conflict and disaster in Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Palestine, and Ukraine—as well as supporting those fleeing the crisis in Sudan from neighboring countries. From conflict zones to refugee camps and host communities, staff are working closely with those most affected.
However, the global context is worsening. The LWF has raised deep concern over the lack of respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with attacks on humanitarian staff, schools and hospitals, which are war crimes. “Diplomacy and peacebuilding are being sidelined in favor of military spending and national interests, undermining decades of international cooperation built to protect human life during conflict,” Immonen says.
Vulnerable communities suffer the most
The impact of this global shift is deeply felt on the ground. The sudden withdrawal of U.S. government humanitarian funding, combined with ongoing cuts by other donor governments, has impacted LWF country programs especially in Africa, Jerusalem, and Central America. LWF Country Programs in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, and elsewhere are now facing difficult decisions, despite growing needs.
“LWF staff bear witness daily to the desperation of the communities we serve,” said Immonen. “This is a moment to step up—not step away. The world must renew its commitment to protect refugees and displaced people, and to uphold the principles of international law and human dignity.”
At its annual Council meeting from 12 to 16 June 2025, the LWF issued public statements on the global humanitarian crisis, as well as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. Find the statements here.
