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Migrant Protection

The challenge of forced displacement and survival Migration

Submitted by Margarita Puerto Gomez on Mon, 11/01/2010 - 17:09

The World Bank’s Social Development Department (SDV) and Migration and Remittances Unit hosted a brown bag lunch (BBL) on state fragility, forced displacement, and survival migration on September 21, 2010. Dr. Alexander Betts from the University of Oxford presented a compelling argument on the need for innovative institutional approaches to displacement and forced migration as a development challenge. In today’s world of internal conflicts, state and societal fragility, and climate-related threats to food security, constant movements of people are not only associated with political persecution (“refugees”) or the mere desire to improve livelihoods (“economic migrants”), but also with a concept called “survival migration.” According to Dr Betts, this concept refers to people who are forced to move outside of their countries of origin because of an existential threat to their liberty, security, or livelihood systems.  Such people do not fall within the existing conventions and agreements related to displaced people. Case studies conducted in Angola, Botswana, among others, illustrate that these migrants are extremely vulnerable groups and that their human rights are often violated in host countries.

Should we develop welfare funds for other migrant origin countries?

Submitted by Neil Ruiz on Mon, 10/27/2008 - 14:03

Last week, we released a new brief, "Protecting Temporary Workers: Migrant Welfare Funds from Developing Countries."  This note describes how countries of origin governments can play a major role in protecting their migrants abroad through migrant welfare funds.  It shows that a welfare fund operated from the origin country and financed by migrants or their employers can offer a potential efficient solution to protecting migrants from vulnerable situations abroad.  Protecting migrant workers through welfare funds also comes with some challenges: finding the right balance of services, creating meaningful partnerships, building accountability with its members, and involving destination countries.  

The second meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development is now taking place in Manila from October 27th to the 30th.  The theme of this year's forum is "Protecting and Empowering Migrants for Development."  One of the topics of discussion will be on how governments can share the responsibility of protecting migrants.  This topic begs the question on how governments can find ways of funding such activities.