The United Nations (UN)’s International Migrants Day is annually observed across the globe on 18th December focusing on the significant contributions migrants make to societies worldwide. It highlights the challenges they face in achieving their full potential and emphasizes the importance of ensuring their rights.
- 18th December 2024 marks the observance of 24th International Migrants Day.
- The theme of International Migrants Day 2024 is “Honouring the Contributions of Migrants and Respecting Their Rights”.
Points to Note:
The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) defines a migrant as any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence.
Background:
i.On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/55/9 and proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day, recognizing the growing global migration trend driven for dignity, safety, and peace.
- The first ever International Migrants Day was observed on 18th December 2000.
ii.On this date (18th December) in 1990, UNGA also adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
Global Impacts of Migration:
i.Economic Contributions:Migration contributes significantly to economic growth in host countries. Migrants often bring valuable skills and labor to sectors facing shortages.
- In Chile, Latin American immigrants contributed 11.5% to the nation’s economic growth between 2009 and 2017, despite making up just 3.5% of the workforce.
ii.Demographic Rejuvenation:In regions experiencing aging populations, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, migration helps to rejuvenate the workforce.
Key Insights of World Migration Report 2024:
i.The 12th edition of IOM’s flagship report ‘World Migration Report 2024’ released in May 2024 to increase understanding of global migration.
- The report was published by the IOM focuses on migration trends, statistics, and emerging migration issues.
ii.Key Statistics and Migration Trends:Around 281 million international migrants were recorded globally in 2020, making up 3.6% of the global population.
- The migrant population has grown significantly over the past 5 decades, with 128 million more migrants in 2020 than in 1990.
iii.Gender Differences in Migration:The gender gap in migration has increased over the past 20 years, with male migrants outnumbering females.
- In 2020, 51.9% of international migrants were male, compared to 48.1% female.
iv.International Remittances and Global Impact: Global remittances grew from USD 128 billion in 2000 to USD 831 billion in 2022.
- India, Mexico, China, the Philippines and Egypt are the top 5 remittance recipient countries.
- India surpassed USD 100 billion in remittances for the 1st time in 2022.
v.The World Migration Report 2024 notes a 650% increase in international remittances between 2000 and 2022, emphasizing their growing importance in global financial flows.
IOM’s 2025 Global Appeal:
i.Migrants are crucial for filling skill gaps, driving innovation and addressing demographic challenges in aging societies.
ii.IOM’s 2025 Global Appeal aims to reach over 101 million people across 170+ countries.
iii.IOM focuses on 3 strategic objectives:
- Saving lives and protecting people on the move.
- Driving solutions to displacement.
- Supporting pathways for safe, regular, and orderly migration.
iv.IOM maximizes efficiency, partners locally, and uses data to improve responses to humanitarian needs.
UN Collaboration:
i.To address the issues faced by migrants, several UN bodies, including the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the World Health Organization (WHO) collaborated on initiatives to support migrants and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
- These agencies have launched projects like the “Harnessing Synergies Between Climate Change Adaptation” and “Risk Reduction in Migrant-Inclusive Health System Responses”.
ii.This initiative focuses on mitigating vulnerability in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon, helping these countries create climate-resilient health systems that cater to the needs of migrants.
About International Organization for Migration (IOM):
The IOM is the foremost intergovernmental entity specializing in migration and operates as part of the United Nations system.
Director General(DG)– Amy Pope (the United States of America, USA)
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established- 1951
