Migration is a fact of life and a ‘force for good’

UN: Migration is a fact of life and a ‘force for good’

Migration is a “fact of life” and a “force for good”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday, calling for safer options for the millions seeking opportunities to improve their lives in the face of danger and despair.

In a message marking International Migrants Day, the UN chief emphasized that migration promotes the exchange of knowledge and contributes to economic growth, but at the same time, “poorly governed migration is a cause of great suffering.”

“It forces people into the cruel realm of traffickers, where they face exploitation, abuse, and even death. It undermines trust in governance and institutions, inflames social tensions, and corrodes our common humanity,” he added.

Recalling the Global Compact

Mr. Guterres recalled the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, adopted by scores of countries five years ago, as an “important reference point and resource” to enhance cooperation among countries and expand rights-based pathways for migration.

“Yet such measures remain the exception, not the norm,” he said, urging everyone to work towards a more humane and orderly management of migration for the benefit of all, including communities of origin, transit, and destination.

“Together, let us secure a safer and more prosperous future for all,” he said.

[…] Amy Pope, Director-General of IOM, highlighted that migration “is as old as humanity itself”, with people often seeking to flee conflict and escape persecution.

[…] In 2000, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 18 December as International Migrants Day, recognizing the contributions made by migrants to societies globally.

The choice of date marks the day on which the Assembly adopted, in 1990, the treaty known as the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

[…] “[We] recommend that States address climate change, environmental degradation, and natural catastrophes as drivers of migration, ensuring they do not impair the human rights of migrants and their families, among other recommendations,” the Committee said.

Similarly, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of migrants, Gehad Madi called for addressing prejudice, racism and xenophobia against migrants and their families.

“We must empower and recognize the role of migrants in positive interaction, particularly their social, economic, and cultural contributions to transit and receiving societies as well as their communities of origin,” he highlighted.