Hardship at home, hardship abroad the migration 'system' doesn't work.

• Author: Taylor, Russell

In less than twenty years, the number of international migrants has more than doubled. Currently, 175 million people reside in a country where they were not born, most of whom are in Europe (56 million), Asia (50 million) and North America (41 million)--astonishing numbers that underscore the need for accurate information and analysis on trends that will impact policy decisions affecting the future.

As United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said, migration is an emerging issue that will have "a profound effect on our efforts to meet the challenges of development and globalization". It requires political leaders from both developed and developing countries to strengthen cooperation.

The challenge, he said, is threefold: "to better protect the human rights of migrants; to fairly share the burdens and responsibilities of providing assistance for refugees; and to fully realize the positive potential of international migration--for migrants and for transit and receiving countries alike."

People migrate for many reasons: to look for better economic opportunities, but also to escape from war, persecution, violence and disasters. In destination countries, the demand for foreign labour in formal, informal and black market sectors endures, yet more of these States are imposing increasingly restrictive entry requirements. This, in turn, leads to illegal trafficking in human beings, deceptive recruitment, forced kidnapping and prostitution, and buying and selling of adults and children.

The issue goes far beyond "brain drain" or "brain gain". In fact, international migration brings into the mix a great deal of sensitive issues, such as growing concerns about its economic, social, demographic and political consequences. It touches on matters of national and international security, social and cultural change, and the allocation of already stretched resources.

Rising international migration is moving Governments to re-examine their policies. About 40 per cent of countries have policies geared towards lowering immigration levels. But though developed countries have traditionally been inclined towards limiting immigration, developing countries recently have also been moving towards restrictive policies. Choices made will determine whether migration is managed to maximize its benefits or will be a potential source of social disruption as well as friction between States.

To weigh in on these issues, the World Institute for Development Economics...