data on irregular migration human smuggling and development frank laczko head, migration research...

Data on Irregular Migration Human Smuggling and Development

Frank LaczkoHead, Migration Research Division,

International Organization for Migration

International Metropolis Conference, 9 – 13 September 2013, Tampere, Finland


• “What we measure affects what we do” (Stiglitz, Sen, Fitoussi (2010) Mismeasuring Our Lives).

• Can we really speak of human development and societal progress when a high number of migrants are marginalized, exploited, victims of trafficking, or human smuggling?

• This question not always asked by the development community because migration is often not factored into national, regional and global development frameworks.

Key question


Outline

1. Global policy attention focused on linkages between migration and development: HLD October 2013.

2. International data on irregular migration limited, and tend to reflect security concerns.

3. Case for better irregular migration and development indicators.


Irregular migration and development: HLD 2013

• Second-ever High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development, October 2013;

• Round Table 2 focuses on rights of migrants, smuggling and trafficking, orderly safe migration;

• IOM, UNDESA, UNFPA organized 5 meetings to prepare delegates for the HLD;

• Final report: Towards the 2013 High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development (IOM, UNDESA, UNFPA 2013).


HLD 2013

Four plenary meetings and four interactive roundtables:

Effects of international migration on development / post 2015 priorities

Human rights of migrants, esp. women and children/ combatting trafficking

and smuggling

Partnerships and

cooperation, integration of

migration into

development policies

International and regional

labour mobility and its impacts

on development

1

2 3

4


• Brief but important reference to irregular migration, but no data presented and recommendations don’t address data gaps;

• “It is crucial that irregular migrants be treated with dignity and are not criminalised.”

• “Migrants in an irregular situation are often more vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.”

• “Irregular migration limits the potential of migrants to support their countries of origin and increases likelihood of negative development outcomes for destination countries.”

EC 2013: Maximising the development impact of migration


ICPD+20 and irregular migration

1994 Programme of Action adopted by 179 governments recommends States:

• To reduce substantially the number of undocumented migrants, while ensuring that those in need of international protection receive it;

• To prevent the exploitation of undocumented migrants and ensure that their basic human rights are protected.

• In 2014, UNFPA will report on progress to UN General Assembly.


Irregular migration and the UN post-2015 development agenda

• Beyond the MDGs – Intense discussions about future shape of the global development agenda;

• Should migration be factored into the UN post-2015 development agenda? If so, how?

• Is it possible to develop goals, targets, and indicators to monitor the impact of irregular migration on development?

• “Migration and the UN Post-2015 Agenda”, 6 essays make case for integrating migration into the post-2015 agenda(IOM, 2013).


Data challenges: Defining irregular migration

Irregular migration: “Movement that takes place outside the regulatory norms of the sending, transit and receiving countries. There is no clear or universally accepted definition of irregular migration. From the perspective of destination countries it is entry, stay or work in a country without the necessary authorization or documents required under immigration regulations….” (IML Glossary on Migration, 2nd Edition).


Data challenges: Defining smuggling and trafficking

Smuggling:

“The procurement, in order to obtain, directly or indirectly, a financial or other material benefit, of the illegal entry of a person into a State Party of which the person is not a national or a permanent resident” (Art 3(a) Smuggling Protocol).

Trafficking:

“The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation” (Art 3(a) Trafficking Protocol).


Smuggled migrants: Less often seen as victims

• When contrasted with the protection and assistance provisions of the Trafficking Protocol, the Smuggling Protocol is notably thin in the protection it provides. – Trafficking: victims, viewed from a human rights lens;– Smuggling: irregular migrants, seen as complicit in

criminal activity or are criminals themselves.

• Resultantly, protection needs of smuggled migrants might be overlooked, notwithstanding that victims of trafficking and smuggled migrants may have similar needs.


• Up to 32 million people (10-15% of international migrants) globally in irregular situations (IOM, 2010);

• Around 30 to 40 million irregular migrants globally (15-20% of international migrants (UN DESA).

• Some regional estimates:– 1.9 – 3.8 million estimated to be in EU27 (CLANDESTINO, 2009);

– 73,000 illegal border crossings on EU external borders (down 49% from 2011) (Frontext, 2013);

– Roughly 11 million irregular migrants in U.S. in 2011, down from 12 million in 2007 (Pew Research Center, 2013);

– Some estimate that “well over” 50% of migrants in Latin America and Africa are thought to be irregular (UNDP, 2009).

Global and regional trends: Irregular migration


Irregular migration in the EU


• Some 55,000 migrants are thought to be smuggled from East, North and West Africa into Europe every year (UNODC, 2013);

• Overall, detections of “facilitators of irregular migration” has been falling since 2008, totalling about 7,700 in 2012 (Frontex, 2013).

Global trends: Smuggling

• Globally 700,000 to 4 million smuggled each year (Momsen, 2004);


Better data on irregular migration

• No global monitoring mechanism, but data and monitoring of irregular migration, trafficking and smuggling have improved:

• Trafficking in Persons Reports (USG, since 2001) and Global Report on Trafficking in Persons (UNODC, since 2006);

• IOM Counter Trafficking Module (CTM) (since 2000);

• Frontex Data shared – 8 comparable indicators.


• Unique trafficking database (CTM Database)– primary data for 20,000 beneficiaries in 85 source

and 100 destination countries (Dec. 2012)– Trafficked at sea: The exploitation of Ukrainian

seafarers; – Researching traffickers.

• AVR data– Assisted 88,829 migrants in 2012.

• Migration profiles for more than 40 countries

IOM data on irregular migration: Examples


• Global figures largely based on estimates;

• Research on smuggling focused mainly on Western Europe and North America (UNODC, 2011);

• Focus primarily on South-North irregular migration which only accounts for approx. 40% of migration (World Migration Report 2013);

• National laws and definitions of human smuggling vary considerably, making data comparisons difficult;

• Irregular migration indicators tend to say more about numbers of persons apprehended or returned; less about exploitation and well-being of “undocumented migrants”.

Data Challenges


Frontex data

• Detections of illegal border-crossing between BCPs

• Detection of illegal border-crossing at BCPs• Detections of suspected facilitators• Detections of illegal stay• Refusals of entry• Asylum applications• Document fraud• Return of illegally staying third country nationals


Irregular Migration and Development: New Report in progress

• Preparation of a global report on irregular migration and development.

• Purpose: contribution to debate regarding integration of migration into the post-2015 development agenda and assessment of ICPD goals.

• To be prepared in partnership with civil society and relevant agencies.


Irregular migration and development framing the issues

• Broader focus needed. Keep in mind that for example in EU «majority of migrants with irregular status within the European Union are those issued an entry permit, enter regularly and then overstay their visa, (Crepeau, 2013).

• What to measure ?

• - negative impacts of irregular migration on rights of migrants.

• - positive impacts ? remittances and reduced pressure on labour markets at home ?


Possible irregular migration and development indicators

• Coherence or irregular migration and development policy responses.

• Number of rights conventions signed;• Return and reintegration;• Migrants in crisis situations;• Migrant victims of labour and human rights

abuses, trafficking; detention; workplace.• Migrant well-being indicators.


Irregular Migration and Development Report: Outline

• Concepts/definitions

• Data sources and trends

• Regional perspectives; South-South migration.

• Vulnerable groups

• Review of legislation and policy approaches

• Innovative policy responses


Concluding remarks

Current renewed interest in the linkages between migration and development, and the future shape of the global development agenda, provide an opportunity to focus more international attention on the needs of vulnerable irregular migrants. Better irregular migration and development indicators can help to inform current policy approaches.


THANK YOUFrank Laczko

Head, Migration Research Division,International Organization for Migration,

Geneva

data on irregular migration human smuggling and development frank laczko head, migration research...

Documents

migration irregular

migration hld

migration brief

integration of migration

migration icpd

better irregular migration

development slide

international organization