2025-01-05-Escap-_2024年亚太移民报告_（英）_229页_22mb

Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2020: Assessing Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration

Core Content

The Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2020 is a collaborative effort by the Regional United Nations Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific, led by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). It evaluates the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in the region and outlines the challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for future action.

The report highlights the increasing scale and complexity of international migration in the Asia-Pacific region, which is home to over 4.6 billion people, representing about 60% of the world's population in 2020. It emphasizes that migration is a multidimensional phenomenon, influenced by economic, social, environmental, and political factors. Migration levels have grown significantly, from 52 million in 1990 to 65 million in 2019, with a large proportion being intra-regional.

Main Chapters

1. Migration Levels and Trends in Asia and the Pacific

   • The region accounts for about 25% of the global international migrant stock.
   • Migrants are predominantly in working ages (15–64 years), with over 78% of migrants in this age group.
   • The number of people living outside their countries of birth in the region reached 107 million in 2019, representing 40% of the world's migrants.
   • Migration is driven by both voluntary and involuntary factors, including labor migration, education, family reunification, and conflict.

2. Ensuring Voluntary, Regular, Safe and Orderly Migration

   • Temporary labor migration is the dominant form of migration in the region.
   • Migrants from lower-income countries often move to higher-income countries within the region or to the Middle East.
   • Irregular migration is prevalent, often due to high costs, restrictive policies, and lack of legal pathways.
   • Women, especially domestic workers, face significant risks of discrimination, violence, and exploitation.
   • Good practices include banning recruitment fees, ensuring wage protection, promoting decent work, and improving access to legal migration channels.

3. Protecting Migrants through Rights-Based Border Governance

   • Border management plays a critical role in ensuring safe and orderly migration.
   • The right to nationality is essential for accessing regular migration pathways and preventing statelessness.
   • Birth registration and nationality acquisition are often complicated, especially for irregular migrants.
   • Search and rescue operations are vital for protecting migrants in distress, particularly at sea.
   • Migrant smuggling and trafficking are significant challenges, often driven by the lack of legal migration options and socio-economic disparities.

4. Supporting Migrants' Protection, Integration and Contribution to Development

   • Migrants contribute significantly to the economic, social, and cultural development of the region.
   • Protection mechanisms for vulnerable migrants, including children and victims of trafficking, are often fragmented and inadequate.
   • Integration policies are needed to ensure that migrants can fully participate in society and contribute to sustainable development.

5. Strengthening Evidence-Based Policymaking and Cooperation

   • The report underscores the importance of data and research in shaping effective migration policies.
   • It calls for greater regional and subregional cooperation to address migration challenges and opportunities.
   • The Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Migration is planned for March 2021 in Bangkok, as part of the preparation for the first International Migration Review Forums in 2022.

Key Findings

• Migration Trends: The region has seen a substantial increase in the number of international migrants, with most movement being intra-regional.
• Challenges: Irregular migration, lack of legal pathways, discrimination, and human rights violations are major issues.
• Socioeconomic Impact: Migration can contribute to economic growth and development, but many migrants face precarious conditions and limited access to social protection.
• Human Rights: The protection of migrants' rights, including the right to nationality and access to legal migration, is essential for safe and orderly migration.
• Impact of the Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating short- and long-term effects on migrants and their families, particularly in terms of health, economic, and social stability.

Recommendations

• Strengthen legal migration pathways to reduce irregular migration.
• Improve the protection of migrant workers, especially women and children.
• Enhance border management to ensure the safety and dignity of migrants.
• Promote regional cooperation and policy alignment to address migration challenges.
• Increase investment in data collection and evidence-based policymaking.
• Implement comprehensive measures to combat human trafficking and smuggling.
• Ensure access to social protection and decent work for all migrants.

Conclusion

The Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2020 serves as a baseline for assessing the implementation of the Global Compact for Migration in the region. It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, rights-based, and inclusive approach to migration governance, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report also highlights the importance of cooperation among governments, international organizations, and civil society to ensure that migration is safe, orderly, and beneficial for all.

Key Stakeholders

• ESCAP: Leads the regional review and report preparation.
• ILO, IOM, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, UN Women, UNEP, UNFPA, OCHA, WFP: Participate in the Regional United Nations Network on Migration for Asia and the Pacific.
• UN Human Rights Office: Provides guidance on human rights-based approaches to migration.
• World Bank: Contributes to the network as a key partner.

Disclaimer

• The views expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or other international agencies.
• The report is based on publicly available data, desk research, and input from stakeholders.
• It does not claim to be exhaustive or independently verified.

References

• United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2019). International Migrant Stock 2019 Database.
• General Assembly resolutions 73/195 and 73/326.
• Regional Action Framework on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (2014).