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News
A call for action and “clever” leadership emerged from
a one-day retreat of the Global Migration
Group, convened last Friday, 9 October, outside of Geneva
by UNITAR, the current chair of the Group.
The Heads and representatives of all 14 GMG member organizations
vowed to play an active role to
promote a rights- and evidence-based approach to international
migration, and to foster greater
inter-agency and policy coherence in this field.
GMG Principals expressed concern about ensuring respect
for the human rights of migrants in the
context of the global economic crisis and the ensuing
recession which has prompted governments to
further tighten legal avenues for migration. Job and pay
cuts in many sectors and world regions have
hit migrant workers particularly hard. In addition, in
countries across the globe, migrants have become
the victims of xenophobic reactions fueled by high unemployment.
The GMG cautioned that short-term measures adopted in
response to the crisis should not
overshadow longer-term considerations in shaping migration
policies. Incentives for migration will
remain high as long as income and opportunity gaps persist
between countries. The newly released
2009 Human Development Report entitled "Overcoming
barriers" [1] highlights the human
development gains to be reaped from migrating across these
divides. For many developing countries
and countries in transition, remittances have gained relative
importance as a source of foreign income
during the current crisis, proving more stable than other
financial flows. In addition, demographic
imbalances will make future migration inevitable, as many
industrialized societies, but also emerging
economies such as China, will need to replace their ageing
workforce.
GMG Principals thus concurred that migration is part
of the solution, not the problem, in overcoming
the global recession and fostering development. They called
on governments to seek greater
coherence in their approach to migration by adopting a
clear policy framework at the national level,
fostering inter-ministerial collaboration, monitoring
the implementation of policies, and by publicly
communicating the benefits of migration.
The GMG will send a message of support to governments
at the third Global Forum on Migration and
Development, to be held in Athens from 4-5 November 2009.
The Group will also seek greater
engagement in relevant fora at the regional level, and
with stakeholders from civil society and migrant
associations. A number of joint media messages and other
outputs, such as a series of fact sheets
providing information and guidance on migration and the
economic crisis, are undertaken to enhance
the GMG’s visibility. Furthermore, the GMG plans to strengthen
its role in public information and
education, including through the organization of a joint
public conference in 2010.
The work of the GMG was supported by the John D. and
Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
[1]
Human
Development Report 2009. Overcoming barriers: Human mobility
and
development, UNDP
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