|
Mercy Global Concern - 2004
A Social Perspective on International Migration
Commission for Social Development
4-13th February
2004 --- Emerging Issues and Trends
The provisional agenda of the forty-second session of the Commission
for Social Development includes under the item Follow-up to the
World Summit for Social Development, a sub-item entitled "Emerging
issues, trends and new approaches to issues affecting social development:
international migration and migrants from a social perspective."
International migration is a major and complex feature of the
world scene that, from the standpoint of the United Nations, can
be looked at from several perspectives, the economic perspective,
and the social perspective. These various lenses have to be combined
to provide a holistic picture, but the quality of this picture,
and of the policies that might be drawn from it, depends on the
quality of its components and on the balance that is maintained
between them. There is clearly a need, at this juncture, for the
use of a social lens to consider international migration and the
situation of international migrants.
Public perception of migration and migrants
Probably in most regions and countries, and certainly according
to the media that are creating an emerging world opinion, the current
movement of people across borders represents a problem. In the
northern hemisphere as a whole, especially in countries that are "labour
importing" but even in countries that have traditionally
been of immigration, migration and migrants have a negative image.
Attention is focused on uncontrolled "flows" of people
seeking work or asylum, on illegal immigration, on the criminal
activities of traffickers and smugglers, and on problems of integration
of immigrants with the local population.
This negative image is associated with the common belief that
international migration has almost exclusively a South-North direction,
whereas the latest estimates of the United Nations indicate that
of the 175 million people currently residing in a country other
than in their country of origin, 40% are in developing countries.
In these developing regions, the perception is that affluent countries
are increasingly closing their doors to immigration from poor countries,
while reducing their assistance and resisting the opening of their
markets tot he products of these same countries. An "asymmetry" is
seen in a world order where capital, goods and services circulate
more freely while labour does not. Remittances are considered as
very beneficial and important, but not as an alternative to debt
reduction, aid, and trade facilitation. And, in all regions, sex
tourism, sex trade and sexual exploitation of migrants and refugees
add tot he impression that the movement of peoples across borders
is an unruly, risky and often tragic feature of the contemporary
world.
These public perceptions reflect real issues and real problems,
but they also reflect ignorance, prejudices and fear. And public
opinions fluctuate with events and are subjects to a great variety
of influences. It was indicated during the Forum that in a typical
developed country of today a small part of the population had a "pro-immigration" attitude
and another small part played a resolutely "anti-immigration" stance,
while the majority was ambivalent. This majority tends to change
its views with the ups and downs of the economy, but is also sensitive
and responsive to the information and political message coming
from public authorities.
In receiving countries, public opinion would greatly benefit from
more information on the contribution that migrant workers are making
to the economy and the society. In countries of emigration, more
explanation on the real conditions of life and work that emigrants
are likely to encounter in the countries they seek, would be useful.
The well-being of the international migrants.
International migrants do not constitute a homogeneous population.
With an already high level of abstraction, it seems useful to identify
three categories: the privileged, the victims, and the "average" international
migrant.
There is a growing minority of people who are sought by many and
often competing countries for their skills and talents in a variety
of economic sectors and social endeavours, ranging from computer
sciences to the health professions and including sport and entertainment
industry. These immigrants seek long-term and, increasingly, temporary
residence. In the year 2000, 469,000 persons entered the United
States as "highly skilled workers" and entitled to
a special temporary visa, as compared with 123,000 in 1992. A major
difference with the "average immigrant" is that these
privileged immigrants have choices and can organize their career
and choose their residence according to their preferences. Some
of them are part of the new international elite - from developing
countries to developed countries - that is prospering with
economical and financial globalization. They are among those who
shape the current process of modernisation and are familiar with
multiculturalism and a world with enlarged opportunities and porous
borders.
At the other end of the social spectrum are the individual and
families trying to escape extreme poverty, ecological disaster,
or persecution and political chaos, and often forced to have recourse
to smugglers or traffickers to reach the country where they have
the hope or illusion to find work an support. A number of them
languish in countries of transit. Some are expelled. Some are detained.
Some die in trucks and boats, under conditions reminiscent of the
slave trade. If they manage to become illegal or undocumented immigrants,
they are in a constant state of insecurity and a great risk of
being exploited. At best, they benefit from some support from fellow
nationals that have preceded them, or from the help of humanitarian
private organizations.
Migrant workers are concentrated in the lowest socio-occupational
categories of their host countries. Often with low qualifications,
they tend to be at the bottom of the wage scale and to be subjected
to the harshest working conditions. They also tend to occupy temporary
jobs and to be the first victims of unemployment during periods
of economic recession. Women migrants, who are representing a growing
proportion of the expanding population of international migrants,
have particular difficulties integrating the labour market and
securing protection of their basic human rights. And, undocumented
immigrants are extremely vulnerable to exploitation.
There are a number of trends and forces that are likely to worsen
rather than improve the work opportunities and working conditions
of ordinary migrants. As services expand in the economies of affluent
countries, immigrants are pooled towards jobs that are low-paid,
little unionized and often outside the control of public authorities.
The global political climate of the time is at any rate unfavorable
to labour unions, to collective bargaining, to enforceable regulations
of the labour market, and to the demands and rights of labour.
The manner in which a society treats immigrants and foreigners
is a good indicator of its overall openness. And openness is normally
favorable to creativity and influence. There are some societies
that have, on the whole, managed to retain traces of the old virtue
of hospitality. But these past few years the General Assembly of
the United Nations has repeatedly denounced the rise of various
forms of racism and discrimination. There seems to be a regression
in this critical domain and it parallels the difficulties that
governments and international organizations encounter in their
attempts at addressing effectively the question of poverty.
The observation that countries of emigration suffer a brain drain
in favour of receiving countries has been made and debated since
many decades. It remains obvious that countries with a small population
and/or a small number of individuals with qualifications that are
necessary to the functioning of modern economy suffer when a great
proportion of these individuals move to more fortunate lands. Lately
however, the expression "brain-gain" had been used
to account for the fact that the number of expatriates return home
and make their country of origin benefit from the knowledge and
capital they have acquired abroad.
Annex - Summary of current cooperation on matters of International
Migration
- Bilateral agreements have long existed between countries
seeking or willing to accept immigrants. They cover a variety
of essential
practical matters such as visas, financial policies, and the
transfer of remittances.
- Since a decade or so, bilateral agreements have increasingly
been supplemented by regional initiatives and formal agreements
on precise issues of migration among countries concerned. At
the regional level, prominence goes to the European Union, which
has
by the Schengen accords of 1990 eliminated border controls for
its nationals.
- The World Bank is also actively involved in the field of international
migration and is currently increasing its interest in the issue.
- The World Trade Organization contains an annex on "movement
of natural persons". And the text adopted by the UN Conference
on Financing for Development, the Monterrey Consensus, also refers
to this question. Should they take place, negotiations under
GATs would normally include the liberalization of the delivery
of services
and the liberalization of the movements of the persons actually
delivering these services. Although involving initially a small
fraction of international migrants - those evoked above
as the "privileged migrants" - such developments
would be extremely significant.
- In the UN the most elaborate and important type of cooperation
on the movement of peoples across borders - is that concerning
refugees, undertaken under the authority of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The increasing frequent
blurring of the distinction between refugee and an immigrant
for employment is, however, an issue that cannot be ignored.
Estimated
put the number of refugees at 16 million and the number of
internally displaced persons at 15 to 20 million.
- Outside the Un system but working closely with its relevant
parts is the only major international organization with a
mandate devoted exclusively to international migration. The International
Organization on Migration provides extensive services to
governments
and directly to international migrants - foreign workers,
refugees, and displaced persons. It plays a central role
in a number of bilateral agreements and in the regional processes
of consultations
and negotiations. It has 102 member states and 29 observer
states.
Deirdre Mullan RSM
Director
MGC
|
