Migration, Development and Mainstreaming

Migration and development

Migration in ACP Countries :
Promoting Development and Enhancing Protection

Introduction
Facts
Migration of persons across international boundaries in search of decent
work, opportunities to survive or as a result of war, conflict and political
instability has risen substantially over the years

As technological, structural and demographic changes intensify, this trend is
likely to continue in the foreseeable future

Emerging consensus that if migration is properly governed by both countries of
origin and countries of destination, it has a positive impact on countries of
destination as well as origin countries.

Migration should be regulated and migrants protected in manners that support
its positive impact, particularly in the economic sphere


Introduction
Debates and arguments
Globalisation debate
Recognition that migration is inevitable
expressed need for it to be regulated and
governed, rather than just allowing 'market forces' to
push and pull it without concern for the protection
and welfare of human beings involved.
Concept of development
Usually expressed in narrow terms, synonymous with
economic growth; namely, an increase in the
production of goods and services.
It is in reality much broader: the elaboration of
productive means, forces, and capacities to provide
goods, services, technology and knowledge to meet
human needs for sustenance and well being.
'human development' - enhancing the
political, economic, social, intellectual, educational, tec
hnical and cultural capacity of individuals and
communities
Not just generation of income and wealth, but also the
redistribution thereof Promoting Development and Enhancing Protection

Development and Human Rights
Human development
• „Rights based approach' to development that goes beyond economic growth.
• Human rights and development not separate spheres, but development a
subset of human rights
Right to development
• Emphasis on the centrality of the human person
as a subject of the development process.
• Discrepancies between demands of economic
globalisation and the requirements of human
development
Argument:
Globalization marginalisation of the developing
world. Causes deeper levels of poverty and
prevent state interventions that support the
human development envisaged


Skilled migration
"Brain Drain"
Definition:
Cross-border migration of highly skilled persons out of developing
countries, most of whom possess a university degree or equivalent
experience, and generally stay abroad for long periods of time
Impact:
Difficult to gage due to a lack of data in both source and destination
countries, particularly data on skills, qualifications, economic activity and employment, of
both emigrants and immigrants. Also differing policy definitions of immigration
worldwide, and a dearth of research on who skilled migrants are, specific skills and
qualifications that migrate with them, and why they decide to migrate
Who they are?
•persons whose occupations are “vital to the functional core of a national economy”,
•Persons who have generally “received specialised training that results in superior
technical competence, talent, or abilities that are applied in professional occupations
•Persons with less formal education or training, but have gained skills, experience and
qualifications 'on the job,' have developed successful businesses, or play a critical role in
the public sector”, and whose skills may be therefore “in short supply in relation to the
labour market as a whole


Remittances
Significant ties between migrants and their home countries.

At household level, particular in rural areas, remittances usually finance day-to-day
consumption of goods and services essential for survival and welfare.
Health care, education, housing, nutrition, as well as income and income-generating
activities, and social security

Remittances seen as “new development finance” despite being individual earnings
Remittances have become the second largest international capital flow behind Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI), and volumes have surpassed Overseas Development Assistance
(ODA).
However they are individuals' earnings from work, just as are earnings for workers 'at
home'

Sizeable proportion of the GDP in many developing countries
Enormous impacts on economic growth, poverty reduction and development, albeit at
costs of losing skilled workers, labour power, family disintegration, social and community
disruption.


Diaspora Networks
Impact on source country

Beyond financial benefits, migration can offer source countries a
range of other benefits, primarily related to nationals returning from
abroad

When return to source country
• Bring back international work experience and a network of new contacts

• Skills and experiences can be applied to specific, key sectors in the source
country

• New knowledge and connections with partners can lead to poverty
reduction policies and strategies.

• Economic, social, cultural and political impacts
new ideas and ways of doing things


Unskilled Migration

• Many of the issues pertaining to skilled migration are equally applicable to
unskilled migration

• Harnessing of the actual or potential benefits of unskilled migration
usually overshadowed by exploitation, abuse and lack of protection of
unskilled migrants


Concluding comments
pros
Relationship between migration and development is complex
PROS & CONS
Pros:
•Migration is an important sustainable livelihood strategy used as a means
to alleviate poverty and advance development on micro and macro scales

•Resourcessent to families used for consumption and human capital
development: health, education, nutrition, housing etc.

•Remittances may allow a household to develop its economic potential
through investments in land and enterprises

•Skilledmigrants contributes to the economy brings new skills, ideas, and
can replace emigrating skilled labour

•Migrants (including unskilled) are also consumers of services and spend
money on commodities, all of which has a cumulative positive effect on
destination as well as origin countries


Cons:
•Migrants may return home ill, disabled or old and while the country of origin
has not had the economic benefit of their labour (and taxes) to contribute to
pension funds and health care services, they have to bear the costs of having to
provide for and take care of these migrants
•Sending countries have to bear the social costs of migration and separated
families
Final note
Restricting migration is a waste of resources, not least because
of the potential benefits it provides. It must be recognised that
increasingly, all countries are part of a globalized labour market
demand and supply and thus, the thrust of policies should be to
facilitate mobility, ensure protection and decent work for migrants, and
thus ameliorate relationships between development and migration. This
may include facilitating aspects that alleviate poverty and contribute to
national and household economies and development


Mainstreaming migration into
development planning


Definition

Mainstreaming migration in development planning
may be defined as the process of assessing the
implications of migration on any action (or goals)
planned in a development and poverty reduction
strategy. This means mainstreaming M&D
concerns into legislation, policies and programmes
at all levels (local, national and, if
applicable, regional). It also means integrating
M&D concerns at all stages of development
planning, including design, implementation, and
monitoring and evaluation.


Migration and development nexus

The contribution of labour migration to
employment, economic growth, development and the
alleviation of poverty should be recognised and maximised
for the benefit of both ORIGIN and DESTINATION
countries.


Stages of development planning


Ensure involvement of all relevant
actors
• Inter-Ministerial Committee

• Ministries of
Labour, Finance, Education, Health, Planning, etc.

• National Consultative Committee

• Social partners, NGOs, migrant and diaspora
representatives, human rights associations, research
institutions, etc.

• UN Country Team


Role-play

Advocating Mainstreaming Migration
One participant convinces other participants of the
relevance of Mainstreaming Migration into Development
Planning.

The other participants represent:
Ministry for Labour/Employment
Ministry of Industry/Entreprise
Ministry of Finance
Planning Ministry (PM office)


Migration, Development and Mainstreaming

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