The News
By Shahina Maqbool
Islamabad
Most
migrants do not cross national borders, but instead move within their
own country. Moreover, contrary to commonly held beliefs, migrants
typically boost economic output and give more than they take.
Similarly,
gains to people who move can be enormous. Migrants from the poorest
countries, on average, experienced a 15-fold increase in income, a
doubling of school enrolment rates and a 16-fold reduction in child
mortality after moving to a developed country.
These are some of
the key findings of the 2009 Human Development Report, the launching of
which on Monday was over-shadowed by news of a suicide attack in the
office of the World Food Programme. Also released as part of the
report, which is titled ‘Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and
development,’ is the latest Human Development Index (HDI), a summary
indicator of people’s well-being, combining measures of life
expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and GDP per capita. It shows
that despite progress in many areas over the last 25 years, the
disparities in people’s well-being in rich and poor countries continue
to be unacceptably wide.
Between 1980 and 2007, Pakistan’s HDI
rose by 1.30 per cent annually from 0.402 to 0.572 today, which gives
the country a rank of 141st out of 182 countries with data. India ranks
at 134, Bangladesh at 146 and Nepal at 144. Norway ranks first in the
Human Development Index and Afghanistan and Niger are at 181 and 182,
respectively. This year’s HDI has been calculated for 182 countries and
territories-the widest coverage ever. The estimates, which rely on the
most recently available data compiled by the UN and other international
partners, are based on 2007 data.
The report demonstrates that
migration can enhance human development for people who move, for
destination communities and for those who remain at home. Nearly one
billion-or one out of seven-people are migrants in today’s highly
mobile world. Migration is not only inevitable, but also an important
dimension of human development.
The report casts new light on
common misconceptions related to migration and stresses that allowing
for migration-both within and between countries-has the potential to
increase people’s freedom and improve the lives of millions around the
world. It points out most migrants do not cross national borders, but
instead move within their own country: 740 million people are internal
migrants, almost four times the number of international migrants.
In
Pakistan, there are 3,554 thousand migrants representing 2.1% of the
total population. Among international migrants, less than 30% move from
developing to developed countries. Pakistan has an emigration rate of
2.2%. The major continent of destination for migrants from Pakistan is
Asia, with 72.5% of emigrants living there.
Contrary to commonly
held beliefs; migrants typically boost economic output and give more
than they take. Detailed investigations show that immigration generally
increases employment in host communities, does not crowd out locals
from the job market and improves rates of investment in new businesses
and initiatives. Overall, the impact of migrants on public
finances-both national and local-is relatively small, while there is
ample evidence of gains in other areas such as social diversity and the
capacity for innovation.
The authors demonstrate that the
gains to people who move can be enormous. Research found that migrants
from the poorest countries, on average, experienced a 15-fold increase
in income, a doubling of school enrolment rates and a 16-fold reduction
in child mortality after moving to a developed country. Remittances are
among the most direct benefits from migration. They also serve as
foreign exchange earnings for the origin countries of migrants. In
2007, $5,998 million in remittances were sent to Pakistan. Average
remittances per person were $37, compared with the average for South
Asia of $33. The report calls for creation of a supportive policy
environment in order to realise the benefits of migration. However, it
also points out that migration does not always bring benefits. The
extent to which people are able to gain from moving depends greatly on
the conditions under which they move.
Financial outlays can be
relatively high, and movement inevitably involves uncertainty and
separation from families. The poor are often constrained by lack of
resources, information and barriers in their new host communities and
countries. For too many people, movement reflects the repercussions of
conflict, natural disaster or severe economic hardship. Some women end
up in trafficking networks, lose significant freedoms and suffer
physical danger.
Taking down barriers against migration will
help improve the lives of many. Basic wage guarantees, health and
safety standards for migrants, and opening visas for low skilled people
are some of the key measures that need to be instituted. Presently, the
human rights of immigrants are often infringed upon.
Other
policy recommendations in the report include lowering the transaction
costs of migration that often has the unintended effect of encouraging
irregular movement and smuggling. Pakistan, in particular has been
facing the brunt of human trafficking.
The report was launched
in Pakistan by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Dr Farooq
Sattar, who reiterated that the policy recommendations in the report
must be translated into concrete actions and must form an integral part
of the human development agenda in Pakistan.
Panellists at the
launch included G M Arif, Dean of Research at the Pakistan Institute of
Development Economics, Dr Aliya H Khan, Head of Economics Department,
Quaid-i-Azam University, and Rana Matloob, Deputy Director, Bureau for
Immigration and Overseas Employment. Mikiko Tanaka, Deputy Director,
UNDP, presented the findings of the report. She stated that, ‘Mobility
has the potential to enhance human development among movers, stayers
and the majority of those in destination places but requires committed
leadership and improvements in policies and institutions.’
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