Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas Model United Nations 2014
Forum:
The Economic and Social Council
Issue:
The question of flight of human capital
Student Officer: Marla Mae Defensor
Position:
President of the Economic and Social Council
Profile of the President
Hello all! My name is Marla Mae Defensor and it is truly an honor to serve as your President for
the Economic and Social Council for this annual Taylor’s College Sri Hartamas Model United Nations. As
of now, I am sixteen years old and currently attending Mont’ Kiara International School as an 11 th grade
student.
Throughout the course of four years, I have attended multiple conferences with several varying
positions. These conferences range from local ones such as TAYMUN and KLMUN to internationally
known sessions such as THIMUN Singapore. With the knowledge and experience I attained from my
past twelve diverse conferences, it has helped me in successfully transitioning from delegate to expert
and finally chair. Though this will be my second time attending TCSHMUN, it will be my first time chairing
at this conference. It will be a fresh, invigorating experience for me and I hope it will be the same for the
delegates in my committee room!
History of the Committee
Established in 1946, the Economic and Social Council is a body which tackles uprising economic,
social, and environmental difficulties which face our world today. Having its inaugural session on 23
January 1946, this committee took hold of approximately 70% of the United Nations’ human and financial
means thus, giving this body immense responsibility over UN decisions. The Economic and Social
Council does in fact hold meetings throughout the whole year, but its annual one-month long session,
which is held in the summer, is the most significant. Many ideas are covered during this time frame,
however one main aspect which is regularly addressed is development challenges we are facing today.
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Statement of the Problem
Popularized in the 1940s when professionals emigrated from European nations over to the
United States, the migration of highly skilled workers initiated an up and coming phenomenon known as
the flight of human capital or commonly known as “brain drain.” This term is now frequently used for the
millions of knowledgeable individuals who depart from their native countries or organizations to seek for
better opportunities, standards of living, and accommodations. Inadvertently, it infers copious workers
leaving their developing nations to reach developed ones. Shown in recent decades, this movement of
human capital has become more evident in our society subsequently hindering the development of a
growing nation. These skilled laborers are essential to their country as they are fundamental in a nation’s
growth, revenue, and development. Without their presence in their respective nations, it could possibly
lead to thousands, maybe even millions of dollars lost in a country’s revenue.
The Current Situation
Forms of Brain Drains
Though human flight capital is when highly skilled professionals migrate to an organization or
region with better opportunities, it is categorized into even smaller aspects. These aspects being:
Organizational
In an Organizational Brain Drain, experienced workers who carry essential qualities
transfer to different organizations believing their future is dismal and bleak in the current
organization they are working with. For instance, individuals working with major corporations may
have no confidence in the current direction of a company, thus workers depart from the
organization thinking their current work is unsuitable for them.
Geographical
This method of flight of human capital is regularly done when trained and highly
knowledgeable workers depart from their native countries in hopes of pursuing improved
opportunities in different regions of the world. Geographical Brain Drain is a common occurrence
between developing and developed nations. Seeing as many trained laborers wish to depart from
their country of residences, particularly individuals from Western Africa, it is in order to obtain
better living standards and experience, in nations such as the United States and United Kingdom.
Industrial
This method being simpler in comparison to the others, Industrial Brain Drain is the flight
of laborers transferring from one sector of industry into another. For example it is extant in the
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United States as the increasing demand in the private sector has made it difficult for replacing
those who have retired in the public sector.
Usage of Brain Drain
Advantages
As many believe brain drain to be a negative idea due to the title’s connotations, there are
some positives that are prevalent. Brain Drain was first thought to be detrimental to countries of
origin as several perceived those who immigrated to different countries would never return back
to their countries of origin. It was believed overseas workers would permanently stay in the
country they are working in. However, these perceptions ceased over time as migration from one
destination to another is much more frequent in today’s society. With highly trained overseas
workers having the opportunities to return to their country of origin or migrate to someplace new,
many are not restricted into migrating once throughout their life time. As a result, the knowledge
and skills attained through travels could potentially increase development and growth.
In addition to the workers learning new skills abroad and bringing the knowledge and
skills back to the worker’s country of origin, another effectual advantage of brain drain is
remittance. With the use of remittance, it not only contributes to a country’s income, but also aids
in the increase of living standards of those who receive the remittances.
Disadvantages
However, even with the advantages stated aforementioned, there are still plenty
disadvantages that arise with human capital flight. One ostensible consequence of brain drain is
the exodus of skilled workers causing nations to lose key figures for the betterment of their
societies. With trained professionals leaving an already deprived country, it could evidently lead
to a massive impact on a country’s economy.
Moreover, the flight of human capital causes unintentional social discrimination for the
workers overseas. Those living abroad could be marginalized and stigmatized by society as they
are allegedly disrupting the way things are. If not marginalized, they would simply find their new
living standards challenging and difficult to take in. Another possibility could be the idea of
‘double marginalization’ where they are not only given the opportunity to assimilate into their new
ways of living due to the rejection of their presence by the existing society, but also shunned by
their previous society as a result of departing from their native country.
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Definition of Key Terms
Human Capital
Essentially those who possess skills, understanding, and experience which could determine
one’s cost or value to their occupation, organization, or their respective nation. These are people who
have received an education/training which gives them higher learning and/or knowledge which would be
used in exchange for an increase in income or economic worth.
Human Capital Flight
This is also known as Brain Drain. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, brain drain is
defined as, “the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field
for another usually for better pay or living conditions.” In today’s world, it is commonly seen when highly
skilled laborers leave developing nations to seek for better opportunities in developed nations,
particularly the United States of America. As a result, the development of a laborer’s home country will
be at stake.
Brain Gain
The opposite of Brain Drain. The term Brain Gain is used for those skilled professionals who
strive to enter a country with better opportunities than their own. Though it is considered brain gain for
the country the individual is entering; it would be a brain drain for the country the individual is departing
from.
Remittance
The act of sending home money through methods such as mail to pay for goods, services, etc.
Numerous expatriates and overseas workers do this in order to aid their relatives residing in their native
countries.
Brain Circulation
This is an idea that encourages new learning strategies which could potentially attract or hang
onto highly skilled professionals in a country. Some examples could offer educational courses that give
opportunities of studying abroad or allowing professionals to visit their home countries to present their
knowledge for their developing nation. In doing so, it enables growth and progress for not only the
individual, but the country as well.
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Timeline of Events
Date
Description of event
World Health Organization (WHO) publishes a study of a professional’s
1979
magnitude and flow of health
Australia and Canada introduce point systems for their immigration
1980s
qualities
United States implements Immigration Act of 1990 which brings in new
1990
immigration policies
UNESCO/Hewlett Packard Initiative Piloting Solutions for Alleviating
2003
Brain Drain in South East Europe is launched
WHO adopts the Global Code of Practice on the International
2010
Recruitment of Health Personnel
Past Actions
As human capital flight has been prevalent globally, many actions have been taken to address
this issue. To begin with, developed nations such as Canada and Australia introduced point systems for
their immigration qualities. Not only that, but soon after, United States implemented the Immigration Acts
of 1990 to specify immigration policies for migrants who are determined in entering the country for work.
This is partially why there has been a significant increase in brain drain.
Now with an increase brain drain issue, more has been executed in hopes of addressing the
uprising topic. United Nations Organizations (UNOs) such as WHO and United Nations Economic,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have done projects in order to alleviate the problem at
hand. Some of these projects include WHO publishing studies or adopting practices that focus on brain
drain. In UNESCO’s circumstances, they helped in a brain circulation program based in the University of
Mali known as the Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN), and also partnered
with Hewlett Packard for a project to alleviate Brain Drain.
Possible Solutions
There are possible solutions in resolving brain drain, however they are somewhat difficult to
achieve. If this problem were to be solved, it is fundamental that all nations be involved in the matter.
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Resolving this matter should not just help one side of the globe, but benefit both developing and
developed nations. To execute this, internationally policies could be implemented in restricting migration
or compensate countries where the workers depart from. On the other hand, if it is not done correctly, it
could potentially be violating a person’s rights of freedom of movement. Furthermore, the international
community could possibly create a session for world leaders in order to debate and discuss the flight of
human capital and find methods in attempting to resolve it. In doing so, global leaders will be able to
come to a consensus in what needs to be tackled in order to settle the issue at hand.
Bibliography
"About ECOSOC." United Nations. United Nations, n.d. Web. 27 June 2014.
<http://www.un.org/en/ecosoc/about/>.
Ahmad, Omar B. "Brain drain: the flight of human capital." National Center for Biotechnology
Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2014.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2623041/>.
"Brain Drain." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 27 June 2014.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain%20drain>.
"From brain drain to brain gain." United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
N.p., n.d. Web. 27 June 2014.
<http://www.unesco.org/education/education_today/brain.pdf>.
"Human capital flight." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 June 2014.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_capital_flight#The_advantages_of_the_brain_drain>
.
Rapoport, Hillel. "Who is afraid of the brain drain?" Standford University. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
June 2014. <http://web.stanford.edu/group/siepr/cgibin/siepr/?q=system/files/shared/pubs/papers/briefs/policybrief_apr02.pdf>.
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