Discussing migration at the United Nations

Written by Sabrina Axster

At the Thirteenth Coordination Meeting on International Migration which took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York on February 12 and 13, UN experts, government delegations, civil society organizations, and academics discussed the most pressing global migration issues. Just a week later, during the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda to set and define new goals on poverty, hunger eradication, inequalities, and security, among other topics, many government delegations stressed the importance of giving due consideration to migrants, as one of the most vulnerable groups globally: every effort must be undertaken to protect their rights and to harness their potential – in both sending and receiving countries.

But which specific issues are high on the priority list when discussing migration? The Thirteenth Coordination Meeting sheds some light on these questions. Its highlights are summarized below. The core issue under discussion remains the link between migration and development. Other topics include saving migrants’ lives and protecting their rights, reducing the human and financial costs of migration, and the need to change the perception of migrants.

The link between migration and development

Within the debate on the link between migration and development, migration is looked at in terms of unlocking development potential. At the same time, development processes are also seen as a root cause of migration. Poverty, inequality, and unemployment are all push factors. “People must have a genuine choice about whether to leave or to stay in their countries,” declared Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson during the meeting.

Remittances and their potential effect on lifting people out of poverty in sending countries was the topic most discussed. A presentation by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) showed that global remittances sent by migrants in 2014 totalled US$440 billion, with the cost of sending money back home amounting to US$37 billion. To harness the potential of these funds, several UN agencies are calling for a reduction in remittance fees.

The search for decent work

Closely linked to this is the debate on labor migration. As this report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) explains, the search for decent work is one of the key drivers of international migration, including for migrants fleeing from persecution, conflict, violence, and disasters.

But high social and economic costs of labor migration hinder sustainable development and contribute to increasing inequality. This report of the ILO shows that reducing recruitment costs for migrants would save them more money than reducing remittance fees.

William Lacy Swing, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), also stressed the need for a rigid monitoring and compliance mechanism to ensure that recruitment agencies are complying with human rights standards and do not engage in criminal activities.

Discrimination in wages and working conditions against migrant workers is common, if not widespread. Migrants are also often affected by a skills mismatch (a mismatch between the skills they can offer and those required by the labor market), which leaves them underemployed and unable to harness their full potential. Restrictive policies hinder their competitivity in the labor market, negatively affect their earnings, and prevent the protection of their rights.

The human rights of ALL migrants

The rights and protection of migrants naturally remained at the center of the discussions of the meeting.  First and foremost, IOM Director-General Swing explained, there is a need to decriminalize undocumented migration, promote alternatives to detention, and expand legal avenues for migration. Swing also stressed that many more efforts should be undertaken to disrupt criminal networks engaged in smuggling and trafficking, including of refugees.

Fully agreeing with these points, Michele LeVoy from the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants made the important point that the human rights of all migrants have to be protected, regardless of their legal status, and, in particular, that all must have access to justice.

Us versus Them – Prejudices against migrants prevail

Prejudice against migrants was brought up as an important concern during the coordination meeting. Deputy Secretary-General Eliasson stressed the importance of addressing xenophobia, intolerance, and discrimination, and of actively challenging the ‘us versus them’ discourse and polarization widespread in many countries.

The United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility proposed several concrete recommendations to tackle prejudice (see this report). In particular, it highlighted that “[i]ntegration policies work best when combined with provisions for contact across communities.” Solidarity, inclusiveness, and due political participation should be fostered. This can be achieved by investing in education programs based on intercultural values and appreciating diversity. Of course, states should also take action to integrate migrants in the labor market and political system, and work at the local level to foster trust, solidarity, and  other positive neighborhood practices.

Working together with all partners to improve the situation of all migrants

In sum, it is obvious that none of these migration challenges can be addressed in isolation. Policies have to take full account of the variety of factors that help guarantee a migrant’s rights, safety, and well-being, and cooperation among states should be enhanced. When tackling challenges and opportunities associated with migration, it is also critical to look at the wider picture of those who participate in the migration experience, directly or indirectly: the migrants themselves, people left behind, those hiring migrants, those working with migrants, and those living alongside migrant communities. All of these constituencies should be brought to the table and have their voices and concerns heard and discussed.