UNFPA Background Guide - National Model United Nations

Challenges of Migration
Irregular migration is an ongoing challenge for the international community leading to a number of risks and
insecurity for migrants. 298 Irregular migration describes migration without documents or false documents leaving
migrants with no legal status in the country of destination. 299 Irregular migrants include also those that have entered
the country legally, but whose legal stay has expired. 300 Besides the many positive implications of migration for
countries of destination, which benefit from work forces, human development, and the empowerment especially of
women, migration poses many challenges on the countries of origin. 301 One of them is that not only uneducated
people leave to work abroad, but also highly educated personnel that are seeking a better future in a more developed
country. 302 This “brain drain” then slows down the development of the home country. 303 Another pattern that
UNFPA is observing especially in some Central Asian States is the stagnation of the use of modern contraceptives,
hormonal and long-term methods. 304 As migration rates in Central Asian States are rising, governments try to
increase fertility rates again to make up for population lost to migration. 305
Benefits of International Migration
Besides the existing challenges, there are a number of possible benefits for countries of origin and destination if
migration is handled properly. 306 Policy-makers often fear that brain drain will harm their public services and
economies due to the emigration of skilled personnel. 307 While this is a legitimate concern, migration also holds
many chances for countries. 308 Migrants who have been trained and qualified abroad, can add to their home
country’s development on their return, given that the transition is made easy for them and they are reintegrated into
society. 309 At the same time, research shows that when the number of people leaving the country rises, there is also a
rise in the number of people that wish to gain skills in their home country. 310 Thus, policy-makers must establish
incentives and services, especially but not only for young people to receive education and training at home instead
of migrating. 311 Another benefit for home countries is remittances send back by emigrants to support their
families. 312 These remittances are prime sources of foreign exchange earnings for some countries and an
indispensable addition to their gross domestic product (GDP). However, one must pay attention that remittances
might also add to inflation and foster inequalities between households benefiting from remittances and those that do
not. 314 Furthermore, remittances can only have a positive effect when they reach their destination. 315 The latter is not
always the case due to insufficient infrastructure in a migrant’s home country, which hinders financial aid to reach
the respective families. 316
Migration and Human Rights
There remain several key obstacles for migrants in getting into a position to be able to contribute economically,
socially and culturally to their host country’s society. 317 However, there are still countries where migrants’ rights are
298
UNFPA, Meeting the Challenges of Migration Progress since the ICPD, 2004, p. 8-9.
299
Ibid., p. 16.
300
Ibid., p. 16.
301
Ibid., p. 8-9.
302
UNFPA, State of the World Population 2006, 2006, p. 3.
303
UNFPA, Meeting the Challenges of Migration Progress since the ICPD, 2004, p. 34.
304
UNFPA, Annual Report 2012, p. 34.
305
Ibid., p. 34.
306
International Organization for Migration, Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning, 2010, p. 12.
307
Ibid., p. 13.
308
UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs, Interview with the Director of the Population Division of UN DESA, John
Wilmoth, 2013.
309
International Organization for Migration, Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning, 2010, p. 13.
310
Ibid., p. 13.
311
UNFPA, Annual Report 2010, 2010, p. 5.
312
UN General Assembly, Summary of the High-level-Dialogue on International Migration and Development: Note by the
President of the General Assembly (A/61/515), 14 October 2006, p. 3.
313
UNFPA, Meeting the Challenges of Migration Progress since the ICPD, 2004, p. 25.
314
International Organization for Migration, Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning, 2010, p. 17.
315
UNFPA, State of the World Population 2006, 2006, p. 14.
316
Ibid., p. 14.
317
Global Migration Group, International Migration and Human Rights, 2008, p. 2.
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