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| Migrants cross the Djibouti desert. (Source: IOM) |
Speaking at the International Dialogue on Migration at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York (USA) taking place from May 21-22, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Amy Pope expressed hope that the discussions will bring prosperity, benefits and innovation to migrants as well as their countries of origin and destination.
According to a recent IOM report, around 281 million people worldwide are part of this migration, representing around 3.6% of the global population. This is up from 153 million in 1990 and more than triple the 84 million in 1970. Global trends suggest that there will be more migration in the future.
Reason for choosing to leave
According to the IOM Director General, more and more people are fleeing war or violence; economic hardship or lack of opportunity; the impacts of climate change or food scarcity; and a combination of all of the above.
Migrants are particularly vulnerable to exploitation, violence, abuse and discrimination. This is especially true in the context of irregular migration, with desperate people undertaking long and dangerous journeys in search of a better future.
On the other hand, migration is one of the most important drivers of economic resilience, growth and prosperity. It is even recognized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a catalyst for a more just and equitable future for all people around the world.
Far-reaching benefits
“Clearly, migration brings benefits in terms of economic prosperity. It also leads to skills exchange, workforce growth, investment and cultural diversity. And frankly, it brings some very good food,” Amy Pope stressed.
The reality is that migrants contribute to improving social life, whether in their new or old countries. According to the IOM report, the amount of money sent home by migrants increased by a staggering 650% between 2000 and 2022, from $128 billion to $831 billion.
Most of the remittances, $647 billion, went to low- and middle-income countries, accounting for a significant portion of each country's gross domestic product (GDP) and surpassing foreign direct investment.
Investing in migration
Any discussion of investment needs to take into account investment in people and migration, the IOM Director General said.
“And the way to do that is to build safe and regular migration pathways,” said Pope, stressing the need to protect migrants’ human rights and dignity, ensuring they have access to essential services and are not subject to exploitation in the countries where they work.
Uganda’s UN Ambassador Adonia Ayebare pointed out that migration is driving rapid urbanization in many parts of the world. Ambassador Adonia Ayebare stressed the need for countries to “create an ecosystem for action” on the path of frequent migration because current options are inadequate.
According to Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, the current lack of safe conditions for migrants comes at a very high cost, both in terms of lives lost and human suffering caused by unsafe migration, as well as countless missed opportunities for individuals and societies in countries.
Controversy and misinformation
As UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has noted, the issue of regular migration routes has become a contentious topic in some regions due to the political climate surrounding migration and the rise of malicious disinformation campaigns.
In a video played at the Dialogue, Ms. Amina Mohammed stated: “Instead of providing regular pathways to strengthen the workforce, help migrants better integrate into host communities and make migration safer for all, policymakers often treat migration as a problem, believe that irregular migration represents the majority of migration and focus only on the crisis aspects.”
The Global Compact on Migration, adopted by UN member states in 2018, expressed a commitment to “ensure that policy-making and cooperation around migration are not driven by such myths and misconceptions, but are based on facts, practices and taking a 360-degree approach to migration, including through regular pathways”.
The potential of young migrants
UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Felipe Paullier points out that half of the world's population is under the age of 30. At 1.8 billion, they represent the largest youth generation in history, most of whom live in developing countries and account for less than a third of all migrants.
“Harnessing the potential of young migrants is key to unlocking the contribution of migration to development. The experiences, aspirations and contributions of young migrants are indispensable in shaping a better future for all,” said Felipe Paullier.
The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth is calling for ensuring young people have a seat at negotiations and a voice in decision-making, including on the Global Compact on Migration.
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| America Ferrera, award-winning film, television actress and social activist, has been appointed IOM's new Global Goodwill Ambassador. (Source: IOM) |
New IOM Goodwill Ambassador
On February 21, IOM announced that America Ferrera, an award-winning film, television actress and social activist, has been appointed as IOM's new Global Goodwill Ambassador.
America Ferrera is known for her many iconic roles in television and film including Ugly Betty, Real Women Have Curves, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Superstore and most recently the history-making film Barbie , for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination.
Born in the United States to Honduran immigrant parents, actress Ferrera says the issue of immigration has always been close to her heart.
Sharing about her new position, actress Ferrera expressed: “I am excited to have the opportunity to continue spreading stories that help us move towards better and safer solutions to the global migration problem.”
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/de-di-cu-khong-con-la-nhung-hanh-trinh-dai-nguy-hiem-272440.html
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