UNFPA Background Guide - National Model United Nations

Studies show that countries with high HIV/AIDS rates suffer from emigration of their health workers, who criticize
the lack of medical infrastructure to treat their patients at home and thus migrate to another country with better
health systems. 338 High mobility does not only weaken the health care systems of those countries that are already
troubled, it can also result in a growing transmission of infectious diseases, either because migrants lack access to
health services in their host countries or due to the process of migration itself. 339 The importation of diseases through
migrants is not only alarming in regards to human health itself; it also challenges societies, as governments must
invest more of their resources in healthcare instead of investing in economic development. 340
Female Migration
Within the group of migrants, female migrants are still the most vulnerable group. 341 The share of female migrants
of all international migrants today lies at almost 50%. 342 Still, women are more likely to become victims of
trafficking and irregular migration. 343 Migration data have not been gender-specific, thus hindering to identify the
specific role and needs of female migrants. 344 Women today migrate often to be economically independent, which
makes migration a crucial factor to achieve gender equality and change the role of women, especially in developing
countries. 345 However, women still lack equal opportunities to migrate since recruitments often aim at maledominated
employment in construction or agriculture. 346 Thus, women have different opportunities than men to take
their equal share in the global economy as women are found predominantly in the service and welfare sectors. 347
They are often found in gender segregated and unregulated sectors of the economy. 348 At the same time, it is
important to ensure that women are not forced to migrate only in order to support their families back home, but
women must rather be enabled to improve their own lives through migration. 349 It is crucial to support countries of
origin and countries of destination through the life cycle of female migration and make sure that all structures, such
as border policies, security, and general administration are respecting women’s rights and their needs. 350 As
important as it may be to secure safe emigration for female migrants, attention should also be directed towards those
women returning to their home countries. 351 Women, who have been victims of human trafficking or abduction often
suffer from stigma or they are rejected by their former community once they return. 352 Female migrants thus need
continuous support on their return and governments need to provide services to help women overcome stigma. 353
Collecting Migration Data to Develop Effective Population Programs
While changes in population dynamics and decreasing populations in developed countries and certain regions are
undeniable, it is exceedingly difficult to predict these developments due to a significant lack of data. 354 One of the
most important areas of UNFPA’s work regarding migration is thus to collect significant migration data that deliver
information on reasons for and numbers of international migrants to make sure that migration dynamics serve as a
benefit for States and not as a further challenge to their development. 355 Until now, international collaboration in this
field has been weak, leading to legal and political loopholes that not only fail to protect migrants’ rights but also
338
UNFPA, State of the World Population 2006, 2006, p. 2.
339
Ibid., p. 16-17.
340
UNFPA, By Choice, not by Chance Family Planning, Human Rights and Development, 2012, p. 63.
341
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), 2006, p. 3.
342
Ibid., p. 4.
343
Ibid., p. 4.
344
UNFPA, Female Migrants: Bridging the Gaps throughout the Life Cycle, 2006, p. iii.
345
Global Migration Group, International Migration and Human Rights, 2008, p. 30.
346
UNFPA, Meeting the Challenges of Migration Progress since the ICPD, 2004, p. 13.
347
UNFPA, Female Migrants: Bridging the Gaps throughout the Life Cycle, 2006, p. 25.
348
Ibid., p. 25.
349
Ibid., p. 25.
350
Ibid., p. 25.
351
Ibid., p. 9.
352
Ibid., p. 9.
353
Ibid., p. 9.
354
UNFPA, Annual Report 2010, 2010, p. 6.
355
UN Commission on Population and Development, Monitoring of population programmes focusing on new trends in
migration: demographic aspects: Report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.9/2013/4), 2013.
40