International Migrants Day – By Wimal Kannangara
Source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – December 2023
Every Year on 18 December, the world marks International Migrants Day, to highlight the important contributions they make while recognising the challenges they face. The UN Migration Agency (IOM) defines a migrant as any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of;
(1) the person’s legal status;
(2) whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary;
(3) what the causes for the movement are; or
(4) what the length of the stay is.
As migrants, 99% of the readers of “Daehaena” may recollect the challenges faced, hard work put in and the rewards enjoyed. There is hardly anyone who would say that it was an all-smooth journey.
Throughout the history of the planet, conflict, war, wanton destruction of social order and economies by those in power, have driven people to migrate. According to the World Migration Report 2022 (WMR), 281 million people were international migrants and over 59 million people internally displaced in their own countries.
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According to United Nations “Regardless of the reasons that compel people to move, migrants and displaced people represent some of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in society,
and are often exposed to abuse and exploitation, have limited access to essential services including healthcare, and are faced with xenophobic attacks and stigma fuelled by misinformation. On the other hand, many migrant workers are often in temporary, informal, or unprotected jobs, which exposes them to a greater risk of insecurity, layoffs, and poor working conditions.
Due to persistent lack of safe and regular migration pathways, millions continue to take perilous journeys each year. Since 2014 more than 50,000 migrants have lost their lives on migratory
routes across the world. Despite this, migrants have proven to be a source of prosperity, innovation, and sustainable development to countries of origin, transit, and host countries. Their financial contribution through remittance offers a lifeline to families and spur local markets especially those of Low- and Middle-Income Countries while their role in the labour market remains invaluable as evident on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic response. Their knowledge, networks, and skills have greatly contributed to the development of resilient communities.
Strengthening the contribution of migrants to sustainable development requires collective effort to improve the governance of migration and addressing the challenges migrants face. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) offers the opportunity and guidance to actualize human mobility and seize the opportunities it presents.”
Lankans are well aware of the thousands who migrate to the middle east in search of a good life, not so much for themselves but for their families. It is interesting to note that more than 50% of these migrants are of unskilled and housemaid categories (Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment) and who are the most at risk of exploitation.
On this day of International Migrants Day, let us recognise the important contribution migrants around the world make and their challenges, particularly those from Sri Lanka.
Wimal Kannangara
Resources
https://www.un.org/en/observances/migrants-day#
Central Bank of Sri Lanka – Annual Report 2022
