Islamabad, 5 October 2009: Allowing for migration—both within and between countries—has the potential to increase people’s freedom and improve the lives of millions around the world, according to the 2009 Human Development Report launched here today.
We live in a highly mobile world, where migration is not only inevitable but also an important dimension of human development. Nearly one billion—or one out of seven—people are migrants. The Report, Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development, demonstrates that migration can enhance human development for the people who move, for destination communities and for those who remain at home.
“Migration can be a force for good, contributing significantly to human development,” says United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark. “But to realize its benefits, there needs to be a supportive policy environment as this Report suggests.”
Indeed, migration can raise a person’s income, health and education prospects. Most importantly, being able to decide where to live is a key element of human freedom, according to the Report, which also argues that large gains in human development can be achieved by lowering barriers and other constraints to movement and by improving policies towards those who move.
However, migration does not always bring benefits. The extent to which people are able to gain from moving depends greatly on the conditions under which they move. Financial outlays can be relatively high, and movement inevitably involves uncertainty and separation from families. The poor are often constrained by a lack of resources, information and barriers in their new host communities and countries. For too many people movement reflects the repercussions of conflict, natural disaster or severe economic hardship. Some women end up in trafficking networks, lose significant freedoms and suffer physical danger.
Challenging common misconceptions
The findings in this Report cast new light on some common misconceptions. Most migrants do not cross national borders, but instead move within their own country:
740 million people are internal migrants, almost four times the number of international migrants. In Pakistan, there are 3,554.0 thousand migrants which represent 2.1% of the total population. Among international migrants, less than 30 percent move from developing to developed countries. Pakistan has an emigration rate of 2.2%. The major continent of destination for migrants from Pakistan is Asia with 72.5% of emigrants living there.
Contrary to commonly held beliefs, migrants typically boost economic output and give more than they take. Detailed investigations show that immigration generally increases employment in host communities, does not crowd out locals from the job market and improves rates of investment in new businesses and initiatives. Overall, the impact of migrants on public finances—both national and local—is relatively small, while there is ample evidence of gains in other areas such as social diversity and the capacity for innovation.
The authors demonstrate that the gains to people who move can be enormous. Research found that migrants from the poorest countries, on average, experienced a 15-fold increase in income, a doubling of school enrolment rates and a 16-fold reduction in child mortality after moving to a developed country. Remittances, are among the most direct benefits from migration. They also serve as foreign exchange earnings for the origin countries of migrants. In 2007, US$5,998 million in remittances were sent to Pakistan. Average remittances per person were US$37, compared with the average for South Asia of US$33.
Taking down barriers against migration will help improve the lives of many. Basic wage guarantees, health and safety standards for migrants will ease repeat visits as has been the case in New Zealand. Similarly, opening visas for low skilled people (conditional on local demand) with rights to apply for extension of stay will help ease the many difficulties migrants face. Sweden, for example, has allowed the transfer of accumulated social security benefits as part of their migration reforms. The human rights of immigrants are often infringed upon. The Report advocates for equal pay for equal work and decent living conditions for migrants. In the recent global economic recession, migrants have also suffered. The laid-off migrants must be given the opportunity to look for another employer.
Other policy recommendations in the Report include lowering the transaction costs of migration that often has the unintended effect of encouraging irregular movement and smuggling. Pakistan, in particular has been facing the brunt of human trafficking.
Dr. Farooq Sattar, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, who was the Chief Guest at the launch, reiterated that the policy recommendations in the Report must be translated into concrete actions and must form an integral part of the human development agenda in Pakistan. Panellists at the Launch included, Mr.
Mr. GM Arif, Dean of Research at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Dr. Aliya H. Khan Head of Department, Economics Department Quaid-e-Azam University and Mr. Rana Matloob, Deputy Director Bureau for Immigration and Overseas Employment. Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, Deputy Director, UNDP presented the findings of the Report. She stated that, ‘Mobility has the potential to enhance human development among movers, stayers and the majority of those in destination places but requires committed leadership and improvements in policies and institutions’.
Human Development Index
Also released today as part of the 2009 Human Development Report was the latest Human Development Index (HDI), a summary indicator of people’s well-being, combining measures of life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and GDP per capita. It shows that despite progress in many areas over the last 25 years, the disparities in people’s well-being in rich and poor countries continue to be unacceptably wide.
This year’s HDI has been calculated for 182 countries and territories—the widest coverage ever. The estimates, which rely on the most recently available data compiled by the UN and other international partners, are based on 2007 data.
Between 1980 and 2007 Pakistan's HDI rose by 1.30% annually from 0.402 to 0.572 today which gives the country a rank of 141st out of 182 countries with data. (India ranks at 134, Bangladesh at 146 and Nepal at 144). Norway ranks first in the Human Development Index and Afghanistan and Niger are at 181 and 182 respectively.
* * *
For more information on the latest HDI and to access the Human Development Report and the complete press kit please visit: www.hdr.undp.org ABOUT THIS REPORT: The Human Development Report continues to frame debates on some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. It is an independent report commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Jeni Klugman is the lead author of the 2009 Report. The Report is translated into more than a dozen languages and launched in more than 100 countries annually. The 2009 Human Development Report is published in English by Palgrave Macmillan. ABOUT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: Human Development is the expansion of the freedoms that people have to live their lives as they choose. This conception—inspired by the path-breaking work of Nobel laureate Amartya Sen and the leadership of the late Mahbub ul Haq, and known also as the capabilities approach because of its emphasis on the freedom that people have to achieve vital ‘beings and doings’— has been at the core of UNDP’s approach since the first Human Development Report in 1990, and is as relevant as ever to the design of effective policies to combat poverty and deprivation. This approach has proved powerful in reshaping thinking about topics as diverse as gender, human security and climate change. ABOUT UNDP: UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. Please visit: www.undp.org
***********
For further information and media assistance, please contact,
Mehreen Saeed, Communication Analyst, UNDP Pakistan
UN House No. 12, Street 17, F-7/2 Islamabad, PakistanTel: +92-51-8255650 or
Email:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.undp.org.pk
