Migration Is Our History, Reality, And Future

[BlueMTexpat]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/william-lacy-swing/migration-is-our-history-_b_12082444.html?1474296466

Op-ed from William Lacy Swing, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Migration is not a catastrophe, nor is it an invasion. Often, it is not even an emergency. Throughout human history it has mostly been, simply, one thing: inevitable. Migration is history’s oldest and most effective anti-poverty measure, a natural human response to challenges and a facilitator of greater opportunities.

At least 244 million people today live outside the borders of their homelands (UNDESA). People move to improve their lives, whether that means access to a better food supply, access to more sustainable employment, education opportunities or to save their own lives and the lives of their family.

Sadly, unprecedented levels of migration have led growing anti-migrant sentiment globally. Migrants embody the essence of multiculturalism, as they are the bridges between countries of origin, transit and destination. It is time that all actors—including States, civil society, the media, international organizations and the private sector, migrants and communities—effectively and factually communicate about migration.

Political leaders and the media have an important role to play in combatting xenophobic narratives on migration that leads to limited perceptions of migrants and to reshaping public discourse and political response. For example, note that the Secretary-General’s Report for the United Nations Summit on Refugees and Migrants, In Safety and Dignity: Addressing Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants, does not speak about “illegal migration” but rather of “irregular migration”. These two terms are often conflated. Political leadership should be enhanced in order to combat the currently toxic migration discourse. The beauty of diversity should be embraced.

Yesterday, September 19, 2016, IOM officially become a member of the UN "family" of agencies. http://www.iom.int/news/summit-refugees-and-migrants-opens-iom-joins-united-nations

I had the privilege of working for IOM for six years full-time. I still perform occasional ST projects with the organization now that I am "officially" retired. It is an excellent agency.

[The2ndWheel]

1. As is conflict when there are too many differing interests

It's as inevitable as the act of migration. You have to take the good with the bad.