The International Organization for Migration and the Center for Migration Studies
Conference on
Mainstreaming Migration into Development Planning
‘Assessing the Evidence, Continuing the Dialogue’
7 and 8 May
Summary1
In recent years, there has been an increased global recognition of the relationship
between migration and development. This recognition is just now being translated into
programmes and policy measures designed to maximize the positive effects of
migration on development and to minimize the potential negative consequences. This
joint conference held by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the
Center for Migration Studies (CMS), in partnership with the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC),
explored the benefits and impact of migration on development, while highlighting
methods for integrating migration into development planning. The discussion helped to
bridge the gap between two major UN Conferences: the 2011 May UN General
Assembly Informal Thematic Debate on International Migration and Development and
the 2013 UN High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. The
event allowed the international community to begin reflecting on the post-2015
development agenda.
The conference was attended by roughly 100 civil society leaders, academics, UN
colleagues, and delegates from diplomatic missions. This document summarizes the
main conclusions and key ideas for action, which emanated from the six panel
discussions.
Panel I. Data, Migration Profiles and How to Evaluate Migration’s Impact on
Development
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Participants discussed the types of data, ways in which data is collected, and
changed perceptions about migration and migration’s implications on
development.
This summary was prepared by the International Organization for Migration and the Center for
Migration Studies.
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Panelists argued that there should be processes in place to render data more
usable, including more internationally available and evidence-based migration
impact assessments, which can take the form of country-specific migration
profiles.
Data is only important if it can be used to inform policy. Capacity building is
needed to ensure researchers are able to interact adequately with policy-makers,
and policy-makers need to be willing to engage the evidence.
Panelists also noted the challenge of developing indicators of successful
migration. One panelist noted how national development gains can be used to
publicize the positive impact of migration.
Panel II. First experiences in use of the GMG Handbook on Mainstreaming
Migration into Development Planning
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It was noted that migration has evolved from a consular issue to a geopolitical
issue. Panelists recognized the need to look to the future with a focus on
migration in the context of the 2015 development agenda.
Panelists noted the successes of using the Global Migration Group (GMG)
handbook in fostering policy coherence towards the creation of national strategic
development plans that mainstream migration into development planning.
Panelists discussed issues relevant to maximizing the development benefits of
migration, including protecting the human rights of migrants, amplifying
remittances, engaging the diaspora, acknowledging children and elderly left
behind, and addressing the issue of return and reintegration.
Panel III. Diaspora Engagement, Economic and Social Remittances
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While remittances are transfers of private funds from individuals from a country of
destination to individuals in the country of origin, to limit remittances as simple
transfers of money is to ignore the complex social and emotional relationships
between senders and receivers. As agents of development for their countries of
origin, migrants must be seen as more than just the financial transmitters of
remittances to their families.
To enhance the developmental benefits of remittances, migrants and their
families need improved financial literacy and access to banking, particularly
women. Investment in public-private partnerships and microfinance institutions
can help harness the long-term benefits of remittances and maximize
remittances on both the sender and the receiver’s end.
Diaspora investments should be measured and included in policy development
regarding migration. Not only do migrants make major economic and livelihood
contributions through monetary transfers, they also provide social remittances by
contributing skills, knowledge, ideas and innovation.
Panel IV. Getting the Fundamentals Right for Adaptive National Migration
Governance
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Panelists highlighted that bilateral and multilateral cooperation is essential for the
effective management of migration and is necessary to realize the benefits of
migration, as well as to address challenges such as brain drain.
Enhancing the capacity of migrants to create wealth (such as via transnational
businesses) rather just the retransfer of wealth (remittances) may facilitate
economic progress in both the host and home countries.
A panelist gave a detailed account of Bangladesh’s experience managing the
unexpected return of 36,594 labour migrants during the Libya crisis. The
challenges in the reintegration process highlighted the protection gaps of migrant
returnees, the lack of logistical capacity, the restricted access to nationals within
the hosting country, and the need for an improved labour market in Bangladesh.
These issues speak to the importance of effective reintegration programmes.
Participants stressed the importance of having an integrated, balanced and
pragmatic approach to migration management, including the ability to
communicate effectively with the public and to counter misinformation.
Panel V. Integration of Migrants for Development
 Effective integration policies, particularly at the local level, are crucial to
promoting migrants as active agents of development in their communities of
origin and destination.
 Panelists stressed that the human perspective must inform all development and
integration policies. These policies must respect and promote the human rights
of migrants.
 The social dimension of integration must be emphasized. Migration policies must
emphasize cultural and social inclusion. Domestic and foreign policies must
reflect the unique challenges related to the migration of women and girls in order
to ensure that migration is safe, orderly and dignified.
 Providing locally-based services that ensure immigrant communities know their
rights and responsibilities allows these communities to build a trust with the local
government, which is essential in countries of destination where the national
migration discourse is highly politicized.
 Greater advocacy for improved access to information as well as improved
reintegration laws can address many integration challenges migrants face once
they move, and once they decide to return to their country of origin.
Panel VI. Integrating Migration into Initiatives for Development: The Way Forward
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Panelists reiterated the importance of mainstreaming migration into development
in a broader policy debates and discussions including the Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and the post-2015 development agenda. The
Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) was highlighted as one of
the many ways that will help mainstream migration into development through
continuing the dialogue, consolidating the mainstreaming culture and opening
platforms for state partnership.
Panelists stressed the need to move discussions on migration and integration
beyond the GFMD and other relevant fora to the UN.
As an example of the link between migration and development, a detailed
presentation was provided on how giving Haitians the opportunity to work as lowskilled migrant laborers in the United States could facilitate development faster in
economic terms than providing traditional humanitarian assistance.
The importance of identifying the non-contentious issues where we can make
progress, including identifying areas where policies and programs have been
successful in maximizing development potential for migration and reducing
negative effects, was also highlighted.
Mainstreaming migration into development planning can be successful only if
governments create the necessary policies and programmes to maximize the positive
benefits of migration while minimizing its negative consequences. Creating adaptive
national migration policies that account for possible challenges, using reliable data to
measure development gains, harnessing the ‘social contributions’ of migrants such as
knowledge-sharing and diaspora investments, and ensuring the integration of migrants
into the host society are all crucial to maximizing the development gains of migration for
developing countries. The relationship between migration and development-related
objectives requires dedicated international attention, especially within the UN,
particularly as the international community begins its reflections on what will eventually
constitute the post-2015 development agenda.