Document 2716784

SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Distr.: For participants only
18 April 2013
Original: English
Asia-Pacific Regional Coordination Mechanism Thematic Working Group
on International Migration, including Human Trafficking
Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the General Assembly High-level
Dialogue on International Migration and Development 2013
Bangkok, 29-31 May 2013
Round table discussions
Item 5 of the provisional agenda
Summary
This paper provides information relating to the topics of the four round
table discussions to be held under this agenda item:
I.
Ensuring respect for and protection of the rights of all migrants and
promoting legal and orderly labour migration;
II.
Addressing the gender dimensions of international migration and their
impact on women, children and families;
III. Assessing the effects of international migration on sustainable
development and identifying relevant priorities; and
IV. Promoting regional cooperation and institutional coherence and
partnerships in addressing international migration.
For each round table discussion, background information is provided in the
present note, challenges for policymakers are identified, relevant norms and
international agreements are cited, and action-oriented recommendations are made.
DMR A2013-000141 TP270413
SDD_IMD_RPM_2E
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Contents
Page
Summary ...................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3
I.
Ensuring respect for and protection of the rights of all migrants and promoting
legal and orderly labour migration.................................................................... 3
A.
B.
C.
D.
II.
Addressing the gender dimensions of international migration and their impact
on women, children and families ...................................................................... 8
A.
B.
C.
D.
III.
2
Background ......................................................................................... 13
Challenges ........................................................................................... 14
Norms and international agreements ................................................... 15
Action-oriented recommendations ...................................................... 15
Promoting regional cooperation and institutional coherence and partnerships in
addressing international migration ................................................................... 16
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
V.
Background ........................................................................................... 8
Challenges ............................................................................................. 8
Norms and international agreements ................................................... 11
Action-oriented recommendations ...................................................... 12
Assessing the effects of international migration on sustainable development
and identifying relevant priorities .................................................................... 13
A.
B.
C.
D.
IV.
Background ........................................................................................... 3
Challenges ............................................................................................. 4
Norms and international agreements ..................................................... 6
Action-oriented recommendations ........................................................ 7
Introduction ......................................................................................... 16
Forums for international dialogue ....................................................... 17
Forums for regional cooperation ......................................................... 17
Cooperation at the subregional level ............................................... …17
Bilateral cooperation ........................................................................... 18
Institutional coherence at the national level ........................................ 19
Challenges ........................................................................................... 19
Action-oriented recommendations ...................................................... 21
Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 22
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Introduction
1.
This note contains background information for the four round table
discussions to be held under item 5 of the provisional agenda for the AsiaPacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the General Assembly High-level
Dialogue on International Migration and Development 2013. The purpose
of the round tables is to address several key features of migration and
development in greater depth than was possible in the overview provided by
agenda item 4 of the provisional agenda.
I.
Ensuring respect for and protection of the rights of all
migrants and promoting legal and orderly labour
migration
A.
Background1
2.
The Population Division of the United Nations Secretariat has
estimated that the world’s stock of migrants, defined as persons residing
outside their country of birth, was 214 million in 2010. Estimates of migrant
workers by the International Labour Organization (ILO) for 2010 are
105.5 million, of which a little more than 30 million (or almost 30 per cent)
were in Asia.
3.
There are three main labour migration flows in Asia: (a) from South
Asia and South-East Asia to Gulf Cooperation Council countries; (b) to and
within the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN);
and (c) to East Asia, mainly from countries in South-East Asia. In other
words, most of the labour migration flows in this large and diverse region
are intraregional. Economic growth, labour shortages and wage differentials
among countries of origin and destination continue to drive labour
migration in Asia. Labour migration in the Pacific is characterized by
seasonal worker programmes and labour mobility in the framework of trade
agreements.
4.
Labour migration occurs largely under temporary migration regimes
and is for less-skilled work. Women comprise almost 50 per cent of the
flows and are concentrated in domestic work. The region is marked by
substantial remittance inflows. There were six Asian countries among the
top 20 remittance-receiving countries in 2012.2 Some Asian countries host a
large number of undocumented migrant workers.
5.
The Asia-Pacific region hosts the largest number of refugees
worldwide. It accounts for almost 30 per cent of the global population of
concern to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),
approximately 9.6 million people at the end of 2011.3
1
With regard to labour migration, this note draws on a draft by Nilim Baruah,
entitled “Trends and outlook for labour migration in Asia”, ILO, 2013.
2
World Bank, http://econ.worldbank.org/ WBSITE/EXTERNAL/ EXTDEC/
EXTDECPROSPECTS/0, contentMDK: 21121930~menuPK: 3145470~pagePK:
64165401~piPK: 64165026~theSitePK: 476883,00.html,
RemittancesData_Inflows_Nov12.xlsx, accessed on 25 March 2013.
3
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR Global Trends 2011,
available at www.unhcr.org/4fd6f87f9.html
3
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6.
A report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
refers to the ability to decide where to live as “a key element of human
freedom”.4 For some people, exercising this freedom by crossing
international borders can bring substantial benefits in terms of enhanced
human security and protection as well as improved livelihood chances. For
many, it can entail significant risks and costs as a result of restrictive entry
regimes, xenophobia and racism, lack of public awareness of the benefits of
immigration in receiving countries and the absence of a consistent legal and
policy framework that upholds and protects the rights of different categories
of migrants, including refugees and non-refugee stateless persons5 during
the full migration cycle.
B.
Challenges
7.
Memorandums of understanding (MOUs) have not always
adequately served their purpose. In some countries, more migrant workers
enter undocumented than through an MOU process. This is partly explained
by slow emigration procedures in the countries of origin. Nevertheless,
MOUs and bilateral agreements are an important tool in Malaysia, the
Republic of Korea, Thailand and elsewhere both to create order in the
migration process and to agree on standards for the employment of migrant
workers. Countries of origin are keen to pursue and review agreements that
protect their migrant workers and provide admission.
8.
While labour migration in Asia generates substantial benefits for
countries of origin in terms of jobs and remittances (and for countries of
destination, in human resources), abuses during recruitment and
employment are quite common and have been well documented.6 Private
recruitment agencies play a primary role in matching job seekers and
employers. However, malpractices and abuses are fairly common and
include high costs and fees, misrepresentation, failure to meet placement
obligations and contract substitution. The high recruitment costs combined
with low wages have led to heavy debt burdens for workers. Women often
face barriers in finding overseas employment, and female domestic migrant
workers are among the most vulnerable.
9.
During employment overseas, migrants are often concentrated in
sectors with inadequate labour legislation and enforcement. Common
practices include substitution of contracts, deception about wages and
working conditions, withholding of wages, retaining passports or identity
documents and threats of denunciation to the authorities. Female domestic
workers in private households and male migrants working on fishing boats
or in agriculture are the least protected from abusive practices.
10.
National legislation in East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific
generally provides for equal treatment between nationals and migrants, and
many countries have ratified several international standards, including
4
4
United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2009:
Overcoming Barriers – Human Mobility and Development (New York, Palgrave
Macmillan, 2009). Available from http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_
Complete.pdf.
5
Many stateless persons in a migratory context will be refugees as a result of
conditions in their country of former habitual residence; however, some stateless
migrants would not be refugees. The term “non-refugee stateless person” is
therefore used to identify the latter group.
6
Piyasiri Wikramasekara, Labour Migration in South Asia: A Review of Issues,
Policies and Practices (Geneva, ILO, 2011).
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international human and refugee rights standards. ASEAN has recognized
the importance of protecting of migrant rights. Despite all these measures,
some of the problems that remain for migrant workers in the region are:
•
The tying of migrant workers’ contracts to employers makes
the workers vulnerable to abuse and increases the risk of their
becoming undocumented;
•
Migrant workers in such occupations as fishing and domestic
work are either not covered by labour legislation or
enforcement is weak;
•
Access to legal and health services, including reproductive
health services, is limited;
•
Trade union rights are restricted in some countries so migrants
in low-wage sectors are often not organized;
•
Social security is not available and not portable;
•
In some countries, a high proportion of migrant workers is
undocumented;
•
There is a lack of recognition of the specific status of refugees,
who in some countries are treated as “illegal” without access to
any rights;
•
Levels of support services in the country of origin vary;
•
Public attitudes towards low-skilled migrant workers are
generally not supportive;
•
Migrant workers may lack protection and humanitarian
assistance during crises and emergencies;
•
Children of migrants born abroad may fail to obtain nationality
because of incompatible nationality laws or because their
births are not registered, or they may lose their nationality by
operation of law as a result of long residence abroad.
11.
There is a tendency to treat asylum seekers only as irregular
migrants. As well as entailing high levels of human suffering, irregular
migration can place serious strains on national asylum systems and provoke
public hostility towards foreign nationals. Measures taken to curb
smuggling and trafficking can prevent refugees from gaining access to the
territory and asylum procedure of another State.
12.
Women, who constitute approximately half of all international
migrants, more often than men hold jobs that leave them unprotected by
laws that cover other workers. Sexual exploitation sometimes goes hand in
hand with labour exploitation. Women migrant workers often take jobs in
unregulated lower-skilled sectors, such as domestic work, childcare, home
care and commercial sex work, further exposing them to exploitation and
abuse.
13.
An informed and transparent labour market information system
linked to requirements in the destination country is one of the ways that
well-managed labour migration is promoted and abuses are reduced.
Migrant workers, however, often do not receive timely and accurate
information on overseas employment opportunities and currently public
employment services usually do not provide information on overseas
placement or links with overseas private recruitment agencies. Better
information dissemination is needed for purposes of safe and legal
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migration, lowering migration costs and matching job seekers and
employers.
14.
The irregular movement of migrants, refugees or non-refugee
stateless persons creates particular difficulties for States. It can challenge
the principles of national sovereignty and good-neighbour relations. It can
also raise humanitarian concerns for the individuals concerned, whose lives
or physical integrity might be at risk. It can further fuel public disquiet and
controversy due to lack of awareness of the reasons why certain categories
of persons might be compelled to move in search of safety and security. For
State responses to be effective, better coordination at different levels is
required with respect to search and rescue operations in the case of irregular
movements by sea, border management and control and refugee protection.
C.
Norms and international agreements
15.
The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, 1990 is the most
comprehensive instrument on rights of migrant workers and family
members, and furthers the rights of irregular migrant workers. It contains
provisions intended to ensure that all migrant workers enjoy a basic level of
protection whatever their status.
16.
The ILO fundamental principles and rights at work apply to all
workers and cover four areas: elimination of all forms of forced and
compulsory labour; effective abolition of child labour; elimination of
discrimination in employment and occupation; and freedom of association
and right to bargain collectively. ILO Convention Nos. 97 and 143 were the
first international instruments providing more comprehensive solutions to
the problems facing migrant workers. They put forward equal treatment
between regular status migrants and nationals in employment and working
conditions, and measures to counter irregular migration.
17.
ILO Convention No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies, the
applicable international labour standard, has been ratified by 26 countries
globally including two in the Asia-Pacific region. The convention prohibits
the charging of recruitment fees to job-seekers. Governments in Asia have,
however, opted to allow the charging of fees within a ceiling.
18.
The most recent ILO Convention is No. 189 on Domestic Workers,
adopted in 2011, which recognizes domestic work as work and provides a
historic opportunity to make decent work a reality for domestic workers.
The Philippines has been among the first in the world to ratify the
convention. Thailand recently enacted new regulations on domestic work
that extend some of the provisions of the convention to domestic workers,
covering paid leave and working hours, among other rights.
19.
At different international forums on international labour migration in
Asia, namely the tripartite plus ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour, and the
inter-State Colombo Process and the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, covering
countries in South and South-East Asia and members of the Gulf
Cooperation Council, improving the recruitment process and
recommendations towards effective recruitment practices and regulations
have been a top item on the agenda. The Abu Dhabi Dialogue has put
forward agreed guidelines on realistic and easy-to-understand maximum
recruitment fees, incentives for good performance by private employment
agencies, and improved labour market information. The ASEAN Forum on
Migrant Labour has put forward a wider range of recommendations,
6
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
including an accreditation system for foreign employers for direct
recruitment, heavy penalties for infringements, positive ratings for ethical
recruitment, monitoring of recruitment agencies by stakeholders (in
addition to regulators), transparency and affordability in costs, streamlining
of emigration procedures, information dissemination and establishing
effective complaint mechanisms and support services.
20.
UNHCR advocates “protection sensitive” migration management
strategies through its 10-point Plan of Action on Refugee Protection and
International Migration, which was issued in 2006. It provides a framework
and a methodology for the development of integrated migration strategies
that are responsive to the needs and vulnerabilities of different categories of
migrants, including refugees and stateless persons. The first element of the
10-point plan relates to cooperation among key partners to address the
complexities of international migration, including refugee protection,
through cooperation among Governments, regional organizations,
international organizations and civil society.
D.
Action-oriented recommendations
21.
States often have human rights and labour laws in force that protect
workers from exploitation. Nonetheless, shadow economies thrive on
undocumented migrant labour where exploitation of vulnerable workers can
be the norm. There is a need for better enforcement, through appropriate
labour inspection and procedures for access to justice. Consular protection,
advice and assistance by the country of origin can also be important to
tackle abuses and threats. Consulates are often the only institution to which
exploited migrant workers can turn.
22.
Sound migration policy involves much more than “fighting”
irregular migration and tightening border controls. Comprehensive
approaches to irregular migration are needed to address its root causes, to
protect the basic human rights of migrants in line with international norms,
irrespective of their status, and to provide avenues for legalization on
humanitarian grounds for victims of abuse and to recognize the specific
needs and situation of asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons.
Countries should also consider options for regularizing those who are law
abiding, contribute to the economy and society and have put down roots.
23.
Measures are also needed to recognize and give effect to the specific
rights of asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons to enable them to
become agents of development if they are provided with an opportunity to
make use of their skills and productive capacities while living in a country
of asylum. Host States should consider enabling refugees to participate in
national labour markets and engage in income-generating activities that
ensure self-reliance. They should also facilitate the process of qualification
recognition in the country of asylum.
24.
Social dialogue is essential to the development of sound labour
migration policy. Cooperation at all levels (bilateral, regional and
multilateral) between Governments, trade unions and civil society,
employers organizations/private sector and other stakeholders is essential
for ensuring the protection of migrant workers and securing development
benefits of labour migration. Cooperation is also key for countering all
forms of intolerance and promoting social cohesion and inclusion through
the economic and social participation of migrants and refugees.
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II.
Addressing the gender dimensions of international
migration and their impact on women, children and
families
A.
Background
25.
The high rates of migration in Asia and the Pacific have important
socioeconomic impacts on women, children and families, both on those
migrating and those remaining in the country of origin. The overall rates of
migration in the region suggest that having a migrant family member is a
reality for many. In Bangladesh, for example, case studies of rural areas
indicate that up to 40 per cent of households have at least one family
member working elsewhere, including through internal migration.7
International migration, often undertaken as part of a family survival
strategy, leads to the emergence of transnational families, the members of
which can be separated by thousands of kilometres and reunited only on
rare occasions, thus disrupting traditional family structures and requiring a
redefinition of family roles and possibly the resort to community support
networks. While females constitute 49 per cent of the migration stock
globally, because most migration in Asia and the Pacific is for temporary
labour migration, the proportion of women in migrant streams varies
considerably. Women comprised 64 per cent of the migrant workers
deployed by Indonesia in 2011 and approximately half of those deployed by
the Philippines and Sri Lanka in 2010. In contrast, only 18 per cent of the
workers deployed by Thailand are women. Despite the magnitude of the
issue, the gender dimensions of migration and the differential impacts on
men, women and children are understudied and rarely taken into account
when it comes to policy design.
26.
The focus of this discussion is on the gender impacts of migration on
families remaining behind, including specific policy recommendations for
supporting them. Existing research suggests that the impacts of migration
are highly contextual and depend on a range of variables, including social
and cultural structures, who in the family is migrating, the length of the
absence, whether migrants are able to come back for visits, whether they
send back remittances and how much they are able to send and to whom
(for example, non-migrant parent vs. grandparents). This section highlights
some of these findings and their implications for policy, and contains
questions and recommendations to frame the discussion during the round
table and at the Regional Preparatory Meeting.
B.
Challenges
1.
Feminization of labour migration
27.
The feminization of migration in the Asia-Pacific region reflects the
share of women among migrants, but it is not a story of mere numbers.
“Feminization” refers to the gendered nature of the migration cycle
(predeparture and pre-employment in countries of origin, in countries of
transit, on-site in countries of employment and on return), the feminized
patterns of mobility and employment, especially in woman-centred jobs in
gendered sectors and industries in the informal economy in Asian and
7
8
Rita Afsar, “Internal migration and the development nexus: the case of Bangladesh”,
paper presented at the Regional Conference on Migration, Development and ProPoor Policy Choices in Asia, 22-24 June 2003, Dhaka. Available from
www.eldis.org/go/topics&id=17561&type=Document. Accessed on 29 March 2013.
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Pacific countries, and the gender and human rights concerns in international
migration and development plans, programmes, policies and budgets.
2.
Families separated by migration, and returning migrants
28.
The policy measures in Asia among labour-deploying countries are
still very much focused on promoting overseas employment, with little
discussion and comprehensive response on returnee migrants, including
women. Legal measures and policies and services do not address
comprehensively the whole cycle of migration, with specific programmes
targeting men, women and children left behind. Migration data focus more
on collecting movements of persons and capital in the form of remittances
but less attention is given to return migrants and reintegration.
3.
Social costs of the departure of adult migrant workers
29.
Studies by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN Women) show that there are few
comprehensive approaches that include husbands of migrating women in
predeparture planning. Culturally across Asia, men are not trained to take
care of households and children, as these functions are considered to be a
woman’s work. Hence, when women migrate men are left to cope with
caregiving, which can result in a lack of parental care or in insufficient care
if the function is subsequently passed on to another female relative or a
domestic worker. On the other hand, male migration may lead to improved
women’s status, through better opportunities for decision-making by
women left behind, particularly concerning the use of remittances, which in
turn may have positive impacts on household expenditures on children’s
education and health outcomes.
4.
Child migrants
30.
Child and adolescent migrants account for 21 per cent of the total
migrant population, including refugees, in Asia.8 While some children
migrate with their parents or are born to migrant parents in countries of
destination, an increasing number of children migrate in search of survival,
security, improved standards of living, education, protection from
exploitation and abuse, or a combination of these factors.9
While youth migration can open new opportunities, it can also result in
greater vulnerability for young persons, especially since such migrants can
find themselves with less family and social support and usually face a
greater likelihood of abuse. Another challenge for young migrants is access
to appropriate and affordable health-care services, and a particular concern
are young women who may fall prey to traffickers; and also might be afraid
to seek medical treatment, including reproductive health services. To
maximize the potential development benefits of youth migration, it is
essential to include and consider young migrants to ensure that their
particular needs are met.
5.
Mixed positive and negative effects on children remaining behind
31.
When it comes to children, there is a growing body of research on
the specific effects when mothers migrate, although historically most
8
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, The Age and Sex of
Migrants 2011 (Sales No. 12.XIII.2).
9
The issues they face as migrants are to be addressed mostly in Round table I.
9
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studies have focused on migrant fathers. There is scattered evidence of both
positive and negative effects associated with remittances on children
remaining behind. Some studies also take into account the psychological
well-being of children. They all demonstrate that the impact of migration is
highly contextual. For example, a recent study of Indonesia, the Philippines,
Thailand and Viet Nam yielded mixed results. Children of migrant fathers
in Indonesia and Thailand are more likely to have poor psychological wellbeing, compared with children in non-migrant households.10 However, the
findings did not hold true for the Philippines or Viet Nam. Some studies
have also documented psychosocial issues resulting from the absence of
parents, especially when migration is long term and it results in dual
families.11
32.
Research also shows that migration and remittances can result in
better health outcomes for children left behind. For example, LopezCordoba12 linked remittances with declining infant mortality, and a study by
the World Bank13 connected the receipt of remittances with improved ratios
of weight-for-age and height-for-age for children, as well as larger numbers
of deliveries being attended by skilled personnel and higher rates of
vaccinations for children under the age of five. Interestingly, the impact on
heath cannot always be attributed to remittances alone. For example,
Hildebrandt and McKenzie14 documented positive changes in knowledge
and practices related to children’s health as a result of migration,
highlighting the non-monetary benefits of migration.
33.
Similarly, migration and remittances can have positive impacts on
educational attainment. Edwards and Ureta15 documented that remittances
reduce school drop-out rates, and Hanson and Woodruff16 found that
children in migrant households complete significantly more grades of
school. A study for the Philippines demonstrated that remittances often are
used to pay tuition in private schools and also documented gains in
10
10
E. Graham and L. Jordan, “Migrant parents and the psychological well-being of leftbehind children in Southeast Asia”, Journal of Marriage and the Family, vol. 73,
No. 4, pp. 763-787.
11
Pal Nyiri and Igor Saveliev, eds., Globalizing Chinese Migration: Trends in Europe
and Asia (Aldershot, Ashgate, 2002)
12
Ernesto López-Córdova, “Globalization, migration and development: the role of
Mexican migrant remittances”, Working Paper 20, Institute for the Integration of
Latin America and the Caribbean (Buenos Aires) and the Integration, Trade and
Hemispheric Issues Division, Inter-American Development Bank (Washington,
D.C.), 2004. Available from http://cdi.mecon.gov.ar/biblio/doc/intal/itd20.pdf.
Accessed on 29 March 2013.
13
World Bank, Global Economic Prospects 2006: Economic Implications of
Remittances and Migration (Washington, D.C., 2006). Available at
http://go.worldbank.org/9HM94QLRD0. Accessed on 29 March 2013.
14
N. Hildebrandt and D. McKenzie, “The effects of migration on child health in
Mexico”, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 3573 (Washington,
D.C., 2005).
15
Alejandra Cox Edwards and Manuelita Ureta, “International migration, remittances
and schooling: Evidence from El Salvador”, vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 429-461. Available
from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=414264. Accessed on
29 March 2013.
16
Gordon H. Hanson and Christopher Woodruff, “Emigration and educational
attainment in Mexico”, mimeo. (University of California at San Diego, 2003), cited
in D. McKenzie and H. Rapoport, “Can migration reduce educational attainment?
Evidence from Mexico”, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 3952
(Washington, D.C., 2006).
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educational achievement of children from migrant households.17 A study in
Pakistan found that female heads of household in particular give greater
priority to expenditure on education.18 However, there have also been
studies that suggest a significant negative effect of migration on attendance
and attainment in school, with notable gender and age differences.19
34.
It is important to note that, while studies tend to focus on impacts on
specific proxy measures for children’s well-being, different dimensions of
well-being are interrelated, and often effects in one area have impacts on
others. Girls and boys at different stages of the life cycle cope differently
with migrating parents and caregivers. Anecdotal evidence suggests that
often girls are expected to take on the work of caring when the mother
migrates, which can result in them bearing an excessive burden and even
compel them to drop out of school, while boys may also have to leave
school and take up work when the father migrates. Ultimately, social and
cultural structures shape the experiences of girls and boys who are left
behind, and understanding them is a first step towards developing policy
responses and sensitizing caregivers to the issues that children are likely to
face.
6.
Lack of data and policy response
35.
One of the principal challenges with regard to addressing the
impacts of migration on families is the lack of data, in particular on
returning migrants. Where there are data and research on migration in the
Asia-Pacific region, much of it is focused on international remittances and
how they are used. As a result, part of the difficulty of integrating
considerations on migration into policy stems from the fact that there are
vast data gaps on the numbers of families affected by migration, as well as
on the specific impacts of migration. There are also significant differences
in the way that countries document migration, and collect and report data.
Often data are not disaggregated by sex and age. Assessing the impact of
migration on men, women and children within families is even more
challenging, since most studies look at household-level impacts, rather than
at specific impacts on individuals of different ages or positions within the
family.
C.
Norms and international agreements
36.
The following are the main international agreements that protect the
rights of women, children, migrants and members of their families.
(a) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The
convention and its optional protocols are effective points of reference for all
children affected by migration: those left behind by both or one of the
17
John Bryant, “Children of international migrants in Indonesia, Thailand, and the
Philippines: a review of evidence and policies”, UNICEF Innocenti Research
Centre, Florence, Italy. Available from www.unicef-irc.org/publications/381.
Accessed on 29 March 2013.
18
Ghazala Mansuri, “Migration, school attainment and child labor: evidence from
rural Pakistan”, World Bank Working Paper Series 3945 (Washington, D.C., 2006).
Available from https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/
10986/8422/wps3945.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed on 29 March 2013.
19
David McKenzie and Hillel Rapoport, “Can migration reduce educational
attainment? evidence from Mexico”. Available from
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DEC/Resources/Can_Migration_reduce_Educatio
nal_Attainment.pdf. Accessed on 29 March 2013.
11
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parents in the country of origin; those migrating with one or both parents;
those facing obstacles in birth registration or in acquiring a nationality;
those seeking refugee status and refugee children tracing family members;
those confronted with difficulties in becoming integrated in the country of
destination; or those affected by migration even though they may not be
directly involved in the migration process. The Committee on the Rights of
the Child, on the Day of General Discussion in 2012, recommended that
States should ensure that their migration policies, legislation and measures
respect the right of the child to family life and that no child is separated
from his/her parents by State action or inaction unless in accordance with
his/her best interests;
(b) The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (1979) and its general recommendation No.
26 on women migrant workers (2008). That convention is an effective point
of reference to ensure the equal rights of women with men, including the
right to acquire, change, or retain their nationality;
(c) International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (1990);
(d) The International Conference on Population and Development
Programme of Action (1994);
(e) The International Convention Concerning Decent Work for
Domestic Workers, ILO Convention 189 (2011) and the ILO Fundamental
Conventions.
D.
Action-oriented recommendations
1. Collect and make available more and better age- and sexdisaggregated data on migration (migrating men, women and children,
returnees and remittances -- who the remitter is and what the remittances
are used for.
2.
Consider including a module on migration in national surveys.
3. Expand the focus of data production and analysis on SouthSouth migration in Asia and the Pacific.
4. Conduct more research on how children (girls and boys at
different stages) left behind cope with migrating parents and caregivers.
5. Conduct studies on use of remittances by women and the
(dis-)empowerment effect of male migration on women left behind.
6. Conduct research on how unaccompanied children who move
irregularly are protected and assisted in the region.
7. Maximize the positive effect of remittances by increasing the
financial inclusion of recipients, especially women, their access to credit
and banking systems, and reducing the transfer costs of remittances.
Explore innovative approaches (technology and advocacy) to facilitate
migrant women’s participation in decisions on household expenditure.
8. Facilitate the ties between migrant parents and children left
behind, for example by allowing for frequent returns (by issuing multipleentry visas) in order to reduce family separation and to maximize the nonmonetary benefits of migration in terms of new behaviours and practices.
12
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
9. Monitor the implementation of key country obligations in
terms of protection of women and children, including migrants, with a
specific focus on access to basic services.
10. Identify gender-responsive policies and services for families
separated by migration, including through South-South cooperation
modalities.
III.
Assessing the effects of international migration on
sustainable development and identifying relevant
priorities
A.
Background
37.
Migration today is an integral part of the development process and is
relevant to countries of origin, transit or destination. In view of changing
trends in demography, development and labour demand, large-scale
migration in the twenty-first century is inevitable, necessary and desirable.
38.
In this section, three important factors are considered, namely social,
economic and environmental, while bearing in mind that, although
migration offers a significant development potential, positive development
outcomes are by no means guaranteed.
39.
Migration can enable economic development by providing necessary
skills, labour, services and innovation in countries of destination. In
countries of origin, migration, remittances and contributions by diaspora
and transnational communities can reduce poverty and manage risk at the
family level, while relieving pressure on national labour markets, producing
multiplier effects in local economies and contributing to balance of
payments, foreign exchange reserves, and trade and investment. Under the
right conditions, migration can serve as an enabler of individual capabilities
and human development, for example by enhancing income and
professional and educational opportunities of migrants. Violations of human
and labour rights, exploitation, health risks and abuse, however, limit the
achievement by migrants of their own human development aspirations and
potential.
40.
In social terms, migration creates change and connection by making
societies more diverse, through the contributions by transnational and
diaspora communities or through social remittances and transfers of ideas
and knowledge. There is strong empirical evidence that migration and
remittances can contribute to human capital formation, including increased
20
access to education and health for migrants.
41.
Environmental factors have always influenced migration, and the
effects of climate change are expected to intensify this influence. This
complex relationship is relevant for development outcomes and policies as
the effects of environmental degradation and climate change may
exacerbate disparities in development and human security that could lead to
20
The forthcoming World Migration Report 2013: Migrants’ Well-being and
Development of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that
migration improves well-being across a range of different dimensions but with
important differences between South-South, South-North, North-North and NorthSouth migration. See also IOM’s International Dialogue on Migration Report
No.17: Migration and Social Change.
13
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
increased migration. Those who are forced to move because of
environmental factors may face specific vulnerabilities; they may need
assistance and protection. Environmental migration, much of which takes
place internally, may exacerbate other challenges to sustainable
development, especially related to urban planning and urban development,
with implications for development policies, including disaster risk reduction
policies and national adaptation planning. Migration can also be an
adaptation strategy to cope with the effects of environmental and climate
change. It should be noted that those unable to leave dangerous and
uninhabitable areas may face the greatest risk. At the same time migration
and migrants’ contributions to their communities of origin can provide
resilience against shocks, such as natural disasters. In certain circumstances,
migration may place significant strains on local environments. Most small
island States in the Asia-Pacific region, and other climate-vulnerable areas,
such as low-lying coastal zones, are especially vulnerable, making it
imperative to mainstream adequate responses into the development
planning process.
B.
Challenges
42.
Specific challenges in trying to enhance the benefits of international
migration for sustainable development include the following:
(a) Migration remains inadequately reflected in development
frameworks and broader sectoral policies at the national and local levels and
in global development agendas. Given the relevance of migration for
sustainable development in economic, social and environmental terms, it is
necessary that coherent policy frameworks give consideration to how
migration could be a help or a hindrance in achieving sustainable
developmental goals;
(b) While there is growing awareness of how migration affects
development, there may be merit in refocusing debate on how development
– including achieving the Millennium Development Goals – may in turn
have an impact on migration;
(c) There is a lack of understanding of how migration affects
sustainable development in developing countries. Given the significance of
South-South migration (almost half of all migrants originating in the global
South live and work in destination countries in the developing world), there
needs to be greater focus on data and capacities in destination countries in
the global South, as well as on the impacts of intraregional labour mobility
on regional economic development.
(d) Public perceptions of migrants and migration have not kept
pace with the reality of human mobility and remain predominantly negative.
Resulting xenophobia and discrimination threatens social cohesion and the
overall rights and well-being of migrants;
(e) The impacts of humanitarian crises on migrants and migration
are emerging as important concerns and can have implications for
development, for example when a crisis leads to the loss of employment and
income for migrants and their families, to the sudden departure of an
important labour force from destination countries, or to serious reintegration
challenges for countries of origin. Conflicts in the Middle East and Northern
Africa in 2011, for instance, resulted in the displacement and eventual return
of thousands of migrants, including a large number originating from Asia.
Countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines and Viet Nam were faced
14
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
with the challenge to reach their nationals in distress, manage evacuations
and reintegrate returnees at home;21
(f) The relationship between human mobility and climate change
and environmental factors has not been sufficiently factored into policies to
bridge disaster preparedness, climate change adaptation and sustainable
development.
C.
Norms and international agreements
43.
While there are a number of international instruments – especially
relating to human rights, labour rights and non-discrimination – relevant
and applicable to migrants and migration, there are no binding norms and
international agreements specifically on the effects of international
migration on sustainable development.22 Respect for human rights is
fundamental to ensure sustainable development, create options so that
migration becomes a choice and enable migrants and migration to
contribute meaningfully to development. At the international level, one of
the earliest links between international migration and development was
drawn in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on
23
Population and Development.
44.
The Millennium Declaration mentions respect for and protection of
the human rights of migrants, but migration is absent from the Millennium
Development Goals. As preparations for the United Nations development
framework beyond 2015 are ongoing, it is too early to tell whether or not
this lacuna will be addressed in a future global development framework.
The final outcome of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable
24
Development (Rio+20) and the report of the United Nations System Task
Team on the Post-2015 United Nations Development Agenda both refer to
migration and its relevance to sustainable development. The recently held
Global Leadership Meeting on Population Dynamics in the context of the
development agenda beyond 2015 (Dhaka, 12-13 March 2013) underscored
the need for strengthening policy coherence at all levels to enhance or
establish global partnerships in the post-2015 framework in order to ensure
that migration contributes to equitable and sustainable development.
D.
Action-oriented recommendations
45.
Today, there is a much greater recognition that migration is a key
enabler for equitable, inclusive and sustainable social and economic
21
IOM, International Dialogue on Migration N°21: Protecting Migrants during Times
of Crisis -- Immediate Responses and Sustainable Strategies (2012); IOM-Migration
Policy Institute (MPI) Issue in Brief No. 3, Asian Labour Migrants and
Humanitarian Crises: Lessons from Libya (2012).
22
Therefore, this section presents a small selection of international forums, initiatives
and documents relevant to international migration and development. For more
detail, see the background paper “Towards the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development (HLD): From the 1994 Cairo International
Conference on Population and Development to the present” by IOM and UNFPA for
the first in a series of roundtables in New York in preparation for the 2013 HLD:
http://unobserver.iom.int/index.php/hld-series.
23
See Report of the International Conference on Population and Development, Cairo,
5-13 September 1994 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.95.XIII.18), chap I,
resolution 1, annex. Chapter 10 of the Programme of Action remains one of the
most comprehensive texts on international migration adopted by the international
community to date.
24
General Assembly resolution 66/288, especially paras. 144 and 157.
15
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
development to the benefit of countries of origin and destination, as well as
the human development of migrants and their families. The potentially
positive impact of migration on development, however, hinges upon
appropriate policies to govern migration in a humane and orderly way and
on the protection of the human rights and well-being of all migrants. To
promote those positive impacts, the following recommendations for action
are made.25
(a) Improve public perceptions of migrants. Specifically, move
away from a narrow and inadequate view of the phenomenon as an escape
from poverty with a negative impact on host communities to an
acknowledgement of the important role migrants can and do play as
partners in host and home country development, and consider migrants as
agents of development.
(b) Factor migration into development and broader sectoral
planning at the local, national and global levels, and in developing and
developed countries. Specifically, recognize that migration today is relevant
to all three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and
environmental – and that migration needs to be appropriately factored into
the United Nations development framework beyond, setting clear targets.
(c) Protect the human rights of all migrants. Specifically,
promote a more rights-based approach to migration that ensures access by
migrants to their social and economic rights, taking into account
differentiated vulnerabilities based on gender, age, health, legal status and
other factors.
(d) Manage migration in crisis situations, including
implications of humanitarian crises for migration and migrant populations
in terms of protection and development. Specifically, consider the role of
human mobility in disaster risk reduction strategies, disaster preparedness,
national climate change adaptation programmes and sustainable urban
planning.
(e) Enhance evidence building and knowledge-based
policymaking on migration, including by raising the quality of research
and collection of age- and sex-disaggregated data on migration.
Specifically, invest in more systematic evaluation and impact assessments
of migration policies and migration and development initiatives.
(f) Promote policy coherence and institutional development.
Specifically, improve policymaking processes at national, regional and
international levels through effective participation and partnerships at all
levels and across a range of partners.
IV.
Promoting regional cooperation and institutional
coherence and partnerships in addressing international
migration
A.
Introduction
46.
Successful management of international migration is an inherently
multilateral concern requiring cooperation between various stakeholders.
25
16
For more detail on each of these, see the position paper of IOM on the High-level
Dialogue: www.iom.int/cms/hld2013.
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Cooperation on migration issues takes place at the global, regional,
subregional, bilateral and national levels. There has been an increasing
trend towards regional and subregional efforts to address the issue of
international migration and development in Asia and the Pacific.
B.
Forums for international dialogue
47.
The General Assembly convened the High-level Dialogue on
International Migration and Development in 2006; it was attended by
representatives of more than 160 countries. The dialogue provided a useful
opportunity to constructively address the issue of international migration
and development.
48.
Most Member States that participated in the dialogue expressed an
interest in continuing such a dialogue through the establishment of the
Global Forum on Migration and Development. Open to all members and
observers of the United Nations, the Forum is an informal, voluntary and
non-binding State-led process. It was created to advance understanding and
cooperation on migration and development and to foster practical and
26
action-oriented outcomes. Its first session was held in 2007.
C.
Forums for regional cooperation
49.
Regional Consultative Processes on Migration are repeated
consultations among Governments and international organizations that take
place outside of formal institutional structures. They are State-owned but
include government officials and representatives of international
organizations and in some cases civil society organizations. As they are
informal and non-binding, they are designed to foster dialogue and
cooperation. They tend to focus on specific aspects of international
migration rather than taking a comprehensive approach to the full gamut of
issues related to international migration and development. There are four
active such processes that involve primarily Governments of countries in
the Asia-Pacific region: the Colombo Process, which is focused on the
deployment of labour from Asian countries; the Abu Dhabi Dialogue,
which covers countries of origin as well as destination, the latter being
predominately countries in the Middle East; the Bali Process, which is
focused on smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational
crimes; and the Inter-governmental Asia-Pacific Consultation on Refugees,
Displaced Persons and Migrants.
Cooperation at the subregional level
D.
50.
Although subregional organizations tend to be focused on
cooperation to increase the economic integration of their members,
subregional collaboration on policy frameworks on international migration
is one route to increased connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Furthermore, several examples of subregional initiatives to deal with
particular aspects of international migration exist.
51.
The adoption in January 2007 of the ASEAN Declaration on the
Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers was a
milestone. While its implementation is progressing slowly, the obligations
of labour-sending and labour-receiving States furnishes a good framework
for action. Under ASEAN, a tripartite forum has also been institutionalized
26
For more details, see www.gfmd.org.
17
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
that provides a platform to gauge implementation of the declaration and
share good practices. ASEAN members adopted the ASEAN Socio-Cultural
Community Blueprint in November 2007, which proposes several detailed
actions towards “Protection and promotion of the rights of migrant
workers”,27 but it is difficult to discern the impact that the blueprint has had
on the protection of migrant workers.
52.
ASEAN has also adopted a blueprint for the ASEAN Economic
Community, to be achieved by the end of 2015, which refers to a “free flow
of skilled labour” and is aimed at allowing “for managed mobility or
facilitated entry for the movement of natural persons engaged in trade in
goods, services, and investments, according to the prevailing regulations of
the receiving country”.28 To date, however, ASEAN members have
negotiated mutual recognition agreements for only eight priority
professions,29 and the necessary implementation plans have not been agreed
upon. Collaboration within the ASEAN region is also being undertaken by
employers and workers organizations although this is at an early stage.
53.
The Joint United Nations Initiative on Mobility and HIV/AIDS in
South East Asia brings together ASEAN members, including the ASEAN
Secretariat, leading regional civil society organization networks and
members of the United Nations system to promote universal access to HIV
prevention, treatment, care and support for mobile and migrant populations
in South East-Asia and southern China.
54.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is focused
on economic, technological, social and cultural cooperation. Although it
does not have an explicit migration mechanism in its framework, its
member States in January 2002 adopted the Convention on Preventing and
Combating Trafficking of Women and Children for Prostitution. The
convention is primarily an instrument for criminal justice aimed at ensuring
that its States Parties criminalize and punish trafficking offences, and
promoting subregional law enforcement cooperation to this end.30
55.
NGO networks and forums on the protection of migrant workers are
generally well-established at both regional and subregional levels.
E.
Bilateral cooperation
56.
Bilateral cooperation on international migration takes place to
benefit both sending and receiving countries by providing a framework for
orderly and equitable migration management and is an important
mechanism for ensuring migrants’ rights. The cooperation may be
formalized through MOUs. For example, when horticultural enterprises in
New Zealand face domestic labour shortages, seasonal workers are
recruited from Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and
Vanuatu under the New Zealand Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE)
18
27
ASEAN, ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint (Jakarta, ASEAN Secretariat,
2009).
28
ASEAN, ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint (Jakarta, ASEAN Secretariat,
2008), p. 15.
29
Accountants, engineers, surveyors, architects, nurses, physicians, dentists and
tourism professionals.
30
ADB and IOM, 2009.
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
Scheme.31 Malaysia and Thailand also address their low-skilled labour
needs through MOUs with neighbouring countries.
57.
MOUs on cooperation in preventing and combating trafficking and
protection of trafficking survivors have been signed by Governments of
countries that are members of the Greater Mekong Subregion. governments.
The MOU established by the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet
Nam in 2010 was the latest counter-trafficking agreement in the region.32
Thailand has signed MOUs on anti-trafficking with Cambodia, the Lao
People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam.
58.
Intercountry trade union collaboration is another form of bilateral
cooperation. Trade unions in countries of origin and destination have
entered into agreements/MOUs on the protection of migrant workers and in
some cases are actively implementing the agreements, such as between
Nepal and the Republic of Korea.
F.
Institutional coherence at the national level
59.
The National Labour Migration Policy for Sri Lanka has been cited
as one of the most comprehensive migration policy documents in the
region. The purpose of the national policy is to develop a long-term vision
for labour migration, to enhance the benefits of labour migration and to
protect the human and labour rights of migrant workers.
60.
Four countries in South and South-West Asia — Bangladesh, India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka — have created ministries responsible for the
deployment of migrant workers and for fostering relations with their
diaspora. Most commonly an agency is established within the ministry of
labour to be responsible for labour migration, as is the case in Nepal, the
Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam, for example. The Philippines usefully
separates the agency responsible for deploying migrant workers (Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration) from that responsible for providing
them with social protection in the form of insurance and access to the
pension system (Overseas Workers Welfare Administration).
G.
Challenges
1.
Protection and promotion of the rights of migrants
61.
In the Declaration on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of
Migrant Workers, adopted by ASEAN in 2007, the important contribution
migrant workers make to the ASEAN societies and economies is
recognized, and provisions for social protection for migrant workers are
included. While the adoption of the declaration was a milestone, it is a nonbinding document.
62.
The absence of a comprehensive legal framework aligned with
principles of international law allows for the proliferation of a wide range of
31
ILO Country Office for South Pacific Island Countries, Pacific Labour Governance
and Migration Pacific Seasonal Migration to New Zealand and Australia: Literature
Review (Geneva, ILO, 2012).
32
United Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking, Key Regional Laws
and Agreements. Available from www.no-trafficking.org/resources_laws_
regional.html. Accessed on 7 March 2013.
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SDD/IMD/RPM/2
protection scenarios and uncertainty concerning States’ reactions regarding
forced migration. The long-standing regional practice of informal protection
arrangements for displaced populations in States that have not ratified the
international instruments does not replace the need for a comprehensive
protection framework for forced migrants in the region.
2.
The provision of social protection for migrants
63.
Under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights
of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families, the right to social
security for migrant workers is recognized, although its significance to the
discourse at hand is undermined by its low level of ratification in Asia and
the Pacific.33.
64.
The increasing importance of labour migration in the region has
raised the issue of social protection, including access to health care and
reproductive health services, and income security.34 Social protection
schemes are often limited to the formal sector and the non-migrant
population. In Asia and the Pacific, the majority of the working population,
including migrant workers, is employed in informal sectors not fully
covered by labour laws or social protection measures. Those workers who
are covered by social protection schemes in their countries of origin may
lose their entitlements once they take up residence in a new country. When
social protection schemes are available to migrants, these are often
conditional upon a certain length of stay in the country of destination.35 Of
particular challenge to women migrants from the region is the lack of
recognition of domestic work as an occupation.36 The recent extension of
weekly rest to migrant domestic workers in Singapore and Thailand might
be an indication of future efforts, stimulated by the ILO Convention on
Decent Work for Domestic Workers (No. 189), to improve legal protection.
3.
Fragmented national policies
65.
Countries frequently make several ministries responsible for the
management of different aspects of migration, many times with overlapping
mandates. Furthermore, although migration has an undeniable economic
impact on development in many countries in the region, one of the main
challenges that countries face in managing the increasing complexity of
international migration is integrating migration policies into overall
economic and social development strategies.
20
33
As of March 2013, nine ESCAP member States had ratified the International
Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members
of their Families.
34
Andy Hall, “Migrant workers and social protection in ASEAN: moving towards a
regional standard?” Journal of Population and Social Studies, vol. 21, No.1, July
2012: pp.12-38.
35
Asian Development Bank Institute and Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development, Managing Migration to Support Inclusive and Sustainable
Growth (Tokyo, Asian Development Bank Institute, 2013); J. Avato, J. Koettl and
R. Sabates-Wheeler, “Definitions, good practices, and global estimates on the status
of social protection for international migrants”, Social Protection Discussion Paper
No. 0909 (Washington, D.C., World Bank, 2009).
36
International Labour Organization, Domestic Workers across the World: Global
and Regional Statistics and the Extent of Legal Protection (Geneva, 2013).
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
H.
Action-oriented recommendations
1.
Align cooperation on managing migration with international human
rights and labour standards to protect the rights of all migrants and
promote development.
66.
Given the large number of migrant workers deployed by countries in
the region and the importance of migration to economic and social
development, more countries will have to cooperate to establish channels
for temporary or long-term labour migration.
67.
Accordingly, bilateral and multilateral agreements to facilitate
migration between countries must make provisions not only to facilitate the
deployment of labour, but also to safeguard the rights of migrants and
identify those who are vulnerable or in need of protection. One way to
ensure that migrants’ rights are being protected is through the engagement
of non-State actors, such as migrants’ organizations, workers’ and
employers’ organizations, non-governmental organizations and civil society
organizations, in bilateral and regional cooperation on managing migration.
2.
Establish a more comprehensive dialogue around the provision of
social protection for migrants, and enhance the employability of
migrant workers, including through skills recognition.
68.
Bilateral agreements to increase the portability of social protection
may not be the most effective mechanism when the countries in question do
not have strong social protection systems already in place. Instead, national
laws that ensure that migrants receive treatment equal to nationals in the
country of destination establish a basis to improve access to public social
services such as health, education and social security provisions (for
example, working injury, old-age, survivors and invalidity pensions; and
sickness, maternity and unemployment benefits). The ILO has adopted a
number of instruments and minimum standards that guide countries in their
effort to ensure that migrant workers and their family members can exercise
their right to social security and social services.37
69.
Well-qualified and trained workers, aligned with requirements in
destination countries, along with the certification that guarantees standards
and quality, are important elements of well-managed labour migration,
benefiting employers as well as providing workers with protection. This is
an area requiring attention, including recognition of qualifications/skills for
migrant workers (outbound as well as returnees).
37
Relevant guidelines are found in the Convention concerning Minimum Standards
for Social Security, 1952 (No.102); the Social Protection Floors Recommendation,
2012 (No.202); Convention concerning Equality of Treatment for National and
Foreign Workers as regards Workmen’s Composition for Accidents, 1925 (No.19);
Equality of Treatment (Social Security) Convention, 1962 (No.118); Maintenance
of Social Security Rights Convention, 1982 (No.157), Maintenance of Social
Security Rights Recommendation, 1983 (No.167). The adoption of
Recommendation No. 202 in June 2012 reaffirmed that all residents of a country
should be guaranteed access to essential social services and basic income security,
at least at a nationally defined minimum level.
21
SDD/IMD/RPM/2
3.
Effective national legislation should be multisectoral and demonstrate
political will at the highest level.
70.
A comprehensive migration policy requires the involvement of a
number of ministries, including but not limited to those for labour,
immigration, education, health, foreign affairs, finance and industry. The
implementation of such a policy thus requires a high-level coordination
body and multisectoral working groups.
4.
Address challenges in data availability, analysis and dissemination for
evidence-informed policymaking on international migration through
research, capacity-building and regional cooperation.
71.
Policymakers and other parties concerned require more
comprehensive information about international migration and more analysis
of its impacts. There is considerable potential for international
organizations, subregional organizations and South-South cooperation, for
example to carry out initiatives to improve the evidence base for gendersensitive and effective policymaking. At the national level, there is a need
for data and analysis to underpin the development of coherent policy
linking migration and development, and to gauge how migration has
impacts on the development of countries of origin and destination. The
results of such studies can be used for policy development as well as to
serve as a basis for advocacy on the positive contributions of migrants.
V.
Conclusion
72.
Representatives of Governments attending the Regional Preparatory
Meeting are invited to consider the issues and recommendations discussed
in the four round tables conducted under this agenda item, particularly with
regard to crafting an Asia-Pacific statement on international migration and
development to be submitted to the General Assembly High-level Dialogue
on International Migration and Development, 2013. Three overarching
issues in the region are how to incorporate international migration into
development strategies at all levels (global, regional, national and
subnational), how to strengthen protection of all migrants and how to
generate the data necessary for improved policymaking.
_________________
22