straw hat in a farm field

Migrants, ‘Economic Growth and Sustainable Development Powerhouse’

During 2017 migrants throughout the whole world sent their families 600 billion dollars, approximately, which represents almost three times the social assistance for development.

This information is stated in the report To make migration work for all, submitted yesterday by the general secretary of the UN (United Nations), António Guterres, to the General Assembly. 

January 12, 2018 | Source: La Jornada Journal | by Emir Olivares Alonso

During 2017 migrants throughout the whole world sent their families 600 billion dollars, approximately, which represents almost three times the social assistance for development.

This information is stated in the report To make migration work for all, submitted yesterday by the general secretary of the UN (United Nations), António Guterres, to the General Assembly. 

The document highlights the economic benefits from migration: this sector spends 85 percent of its profits on their host communities and sends the remaining 15 percent to their countries of origin.

In the world, he said, there are 258 millions of international migrants, equivalent to 3.4 percent of the world population. And the expectancy is that this sector will continue growing. From that total, 6 millions are trapped working in forced labor.

For this reason, the UN  general secretary asked world leaders to work together to create an ordained migration system that reduces the risk and suffering of those who abandon their nations. “The management of migrations is one of the most urgent and deep trials of international cooperation of our times”.

The report urges UN member states to “promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls”, as a central element of the global compact for safe, ordained and regular migration.

Women represent 48 percent of all the migrants in the world, and they send back to their countries of origin a bigger percentage of their profits than men. Sadly, they face more restrictive work and customs policies than males do, which limits their economic income and their social contribution.

Guterres summoned the governments to work together to create a global productive and humane migration system that will improve the states’ sovereignty instead of deteriorating it. 

Nations must take into account three elements on the definition of a strategy for this topic: a humanitarian approach based on the defense of human rights, financial resources to define the status of migrants once the first humanitarian help is forwarded and find real options for those who can’t claim refugee status, but can’t  go back to their countries of origin.

“If governments establish more legal channels for migration, based on realistic analysis of the needs from the labor market, it is very likely that border crossings will decrease, that there will be less undocumented workers and less abuse”, he maintained.  

He said that this social phenomenon “is an economic, innovative and sustainable development growth powerhouse”. Consequently he noted in the report that there is clear evidence that shows that, despite the real challenges that the phenomenon generates, it is beneficial for the host communities, in social and economic terms.

In that sense he said that a new approach is necessary. “It is time to draw all the parties on the United Nations System, including the International Organization for Migration, to support the efforts of the member states to address the situation”:

Translated by Mariana Escalante, Asociación de Consumidores Orgánicos.