“Follow the footsteps, not the footprints.”
Let’s begin with something simple:
Data isn’t just numbers.
It’s how we make sense of movement during crisis. It brings order to uncertainty. When we truly pay attention, data becomes more than information. It becomes a living, breathing story of how humanity moves, adapts, and builds again.
Nowhere is that more visible than in Syria.
Every Movement Tells a Story
We hear it all the time: good data is essential for smart decisions, fair resource distribution, and effective services. Yet even in today’s digital world, the biggest data gaps often exist where data is needed most.
Want to reduce gender disparities? Try doing that without knowing who owns what or how households spend. Tackling climate risks? Good luck without real data on water or agricultural impacts. From health and education to food and infrastructure, progress is only possible when the data is both present and precise.
Look at Syria. Since 2011, more than 13 million people have been moving from country to another. Half remain inside Syria, the rest have crossed borders. Losing everything and forcibly moving isn’t a single moment. It changes. It pulses. It’s alive.
In 2024 alone, over 570,000 Syrians returned home. Not all at once, and not for the same reasons. Some came back for inner peace, others because they lost support abroad, and many returned for family or the hope of something better.
Every time people move, they’re telling us something. Earlier this year, IOM noticed more Syrians returning to areas with weak services, limited health care, poor schools, and not enough support. That spike wasn’t just a number on a chart. It was a call that something needed to happen fast.
According to the World Bank and UNHCR, people often decide to return based on safety, jobs, and access to basic needs. In fact, when safety improves, the chances of return can jump by 42%. That’s why data matters. When we track migration in real time, we can act before things fall apart. It’s not just about looking back, it’s about planning forward.
Migration data is no longer just about counting people. It’s about understanding why people move, where they’re going, and what they’ll need when they get there.
The 3RP platform, led by UNHCR and UNDP, is doing just that. It uses real-time data to link humanitarian response with long-term development across the region. It’s not about headcounts anymore. It’s about making decisions that are fast, responsive, and relevant.
At the same time, the World Bank and UNHCR are connecting return data with deeper insights like poverty levels, job access, education, and gender gaps. This is more than reporting. It’s a tool for real planning.
Every chart hides a story. Every statistic comes from a real choice made under pressure.
Take this: in Lebanon and Jordan, more than 65 percent of Syrian refugees are under 25. This isn’t just a youth statistic. It’s a wake-up call. Young people make up the majority of those forcibly moved. And they’re not just seeking safety. They’re looking for education, identity, and opportunity.
A 2022 UNICEF report showed that many Syrian youth lack access to school, jobs, or digital tools. Without proper investment, we risk losing an entire generation’s potential. Youth also hold the power to transform. Research from the OECD and ILO shows that refugee youth drive innovation and entrepreneurship in host countries. Imagine the possibilities if they return and bring that energy with them.
If youth are the majority, their voices need to shape how we plan.
We often treat return migration like the end of the story. But for many Syrians, returning home is just another part of a long journey. Some go back to test the waters. Others return and then leave again. Many face tough conditions when they arrive. UNHCR reports that returnees often struggle with destroyed homes, missing paperwork, and broken services.
Research by the Durable Solutions Platform shows that return is often temporary or trial-based. Conditions shift constantly. Without real-time data, we risk missing these patterns and planning for a version of Syria that no longer exists.
To avoid that, we need flexible, local, and up-to-date data that tells us not just where people are, but what they need and why they move. That’s how we design systems that are built for real life, not just paperwork.
In 2015, Germany welcomed over a million Syrians. But instead of freezing, it acted. It used data to understand skills, predict service needs, and adjust quickly. The results were clear. Many Syrians found work. Public services adapted. And migration became part of a national success story, not a disruption. Germany didn’t rely on emotion alone. It trusted data. It used it early and often.
Syria’s context is different, but the takeaway is the same. Behind every movement is a message. Behind every return is a decision. When we follow those footsteps, we can build plans that respond to people, not just policies.
“Don’t just ask how many
Ask where. Ask why
Ask what each journey is trying to say“
Because when data listens, planning leads, that’s how data becomes humanity’s GPS.
