Forced migration has accompanied persecution, as well as war, throughout human history but has only become a topic of serious study and discussion relatively recently. This increased attention is the result of greater ease of travel, allowing displaced persons to flee to nations far removed from their homes, the creation of an international legal structure of human rights, and the realizations that the destabilizing effects of forced migration, especially in parts of Africa, the Middle East, south and central Asia, ripple out well beyond the immediate region.

1. Forced migration

2. Coerced movement of a person or persons away from
their home or home region
The International Organization for Migration defines forced
migration as any person who migrates to "escape persecution,
conflict, repression, natural and human-made disasters,
ecological degradation, or other situations that endanger
their lives, freedom or livelihood.”

3. There are many causes of displacement
Some of the more common include:
Conflict-Induced Displacement -occurs when people
are forced to flee their homes as a result of armed
conflict including civil war, generalized violence, and
persecution on the grounds of nationality, race,
religion, political opinion or social group.

4. Example
2015 Rohingya refugee crisis
According to some statistics more than 140,000 of the estimated
800,000 to 1,100,000 Rohingya have been forced to seek refuge in
displacement camps after the 2012 rohinkye state riot by Buddhists

5. 25,000 people have been taken to boats from January to March
in 2015

6. Disaster-Induced Displacement -occurs when
people are displaced as a result of natural disasters
(floods, volcanoes, landslides, earthquakes),
environmental change (deforestation, desertification,
land degradation, global warming) and human-made
disasters (industrial accidents, radioactivity).

8. Development-Induced Displacement -occurs when
people are compelled to move as a result of policies
and projects implemented to advance ‘development’
efforts. Examples of this include large-scale
infrastructure projects such as dams, roads, ports,
airports; urban clearance initiatives; mining and
deforestation; and the introduction of conservation
parks/reserves and biosphere projects.

9. Examples
Three Gorges Dam in China - about 1.13 million displaced
(recently increased to 4 million, but many could return).
Tokuyama Dam in Japan - some 600 displaced.
Donji Milanovac for Đerdap hydroelectric power plant
Sardar Sarovar Dam in India - between 1 and 2 million
displaced

12. Some more terms
Refugees
‘well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality,
membership in a political social group, or political opinion’
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)
(who have not crossed an internationally recognized State border)
armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human
rights or natural or human-made disasters

13. Smuggled people
moved illegally for profit,
include those who have been forcibly displaced as well as those who have left
their homeland in search of better economic and social opportunities
Trafficked people
moved by deception or coercion for the purposes of exploitation,
sale of their sexual services or labor

14. According to the UNHCR report on 2007 Global Trends:
The total number of refugees and asylum (അഭയസ്ഥാനം) seekers throughout the
world: 16.0 million
• Iraq was the source of the largest number of new refugees in 2007:
561,000.
• More people from Afghanistan are “warehoused” as refugees than from
any other country: 2,790,900.
Source: World Refugee Survey 2008

16. The late Portuguese Nobelwinning novelist José Saramago is a case in
point
With Africa in mind, he maintains that, “Displacement from south to north
is inevitable. Neither barbed – wire fences, walls, nor deportations will be
worth anything; they will come by the millions. Europe will be taken over
by the hungry. They come looking for those who robbed them

17. Pros and cons
When immigrants move to a new country, they are faced with
many unknowns, including finding employment and housing,
as well as adjusting to new laws, cultural norms, and possibly
a new language. It can be a challenge for a host country
to assimilate immigrants into society and provide the
necessary support.
Immigration does cause an increase in the labor force.

18. Some believe that immigration brings many advantages to a country both for
the economy and society as a whole
Others believe that high immigration numbers threaten national identity and
threaten national security
Another argument is that high immigration rates cheapens labor
large amounts of immigration will weaken the home country by decreasing
the population, the level of production, and economic spending
If they receive an education and create a solid life, their individual success can
also be beneficial to the home country, if they use their acquired skills to make
a difference

19. Consequences
• Overpopulation
• Lack of resources to support incoming refugees
• Higher fertility rate, as refugees settle down.
• Low literacy rates continue to Increase, not enough room in
school.
• Government not able to support added migrants in their
country.

20. Intergovernmental Organizations
The United Nations is the largest IGO; some UN agencies relevant to forced migration
are:
• UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
• UNHCHR - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Unicef - United Nations Children's Fund
• UNFPA - United Nations Population Fund
• WHO - World Health Organization

21. Reference
• Report of forced migration online
(http://www.forcedmigration.org/about/whatisfm)
• Annual report of UNHCR ( http://www.unhcr.org/47a316182.html,
http://www.unhcr.org/51c071816.html)
• http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/forcedMigrati
on/definitions.html
• Forced migration review (http://www.fmreview.org/)
• Forced migration in the 21st century: urbanised and unending’the
guardian (http://www.theguardian.com/global-
development/2012/oct/16/forced-migration-21st-century-
urbanised-unending)
• Jstore ‘From Refugees to Forced Migration: The UNHCR and Human
Security’(http://www.jstor.org/stable/2676049?seq=1#page_scan_t
ab_contents)