IOM Report Offers Insight into Plight and Delight of Migrants

A new report released on Wednesday in Kenya by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has revealed the plight of migrants in their countries of destination. According to the 2013 World Migration Report (WMR 2013), people who migrate to the south (low/middle income countries, such as, Third World Countries) feel that their lives are worse off or similar to those of their counterparts in their countries of origin.

The report draws upon the findings of the Gallup World Poll data collected from 25,000 first generation migrants and over 440,000 natives from over 150 countries between 2009 and 2011. Generally, it shows that those who migrate to the North—these are high-income countries like the United States or the European Union— think that they are faring better than their counterparts back home in terms of financial, career, subjective, social, community and physical well-being. These include South-North and North-North migrants. This is the opposite for migrants in the south.

However, the WMR 2013 reveals that overall financial situation of migrants is not as good as that of the natives of their countries of destination. According to the report, North-North migrants are less likely to be experiencing problems in meeting their basic needs unlike South-North migrants.

Speaking at the launch of the report at the Southern Sun Hotel in Nairobi, Deputy Director for Immigration Services Joseph Munyoki said that the report highlighted the need for stakeholders to rethink about migration. “This report highlights the need for a rethink of migration. It is an important resource for the government to implement the implementable within Kenya,” Munyoki said.

Mr. J.P. Munyoki from Immigration Services, shares a light moment with, IOM Regional Director, Mr. Ashraf El Nour during the official launch of the World Migration Report 2013 at the Southern Sun Hotel, Nairobi on Wednesday. 

Munyoki, who was representing the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination Joseph Ole Lenku at the function, also announced that the government was working on a national migration policy with the assistance of IOM.

At the same launch, IOM Regional Director, Mr. Ashraf El Nour announced a new initiative by the organisation aimed at migration profiling in Kenya. “We are soon rolling out a new initiative that will concern migration profiling in Kenya. Migration profiling is important because Kenya is a central point for migrants moving to the Southern region of Africa,” Mr. El Nour stated. The initiative is expected to improve the country’s capacity for evidence-based policy making.

The WMR 2013 was originally released on 13 September 2013 in Geneva, Switzerland where IOM’s headquarters are situated. It is the 7^th report in a series that began in 2007; it focuses on migrants as individuals and their well-being.

Its release comes ahead of the United Nations High Level Dialogue (HLD) on international migration and development to be held in New York from 3-4 October this year. The meeting will provide a good opportunity for the international community to align migration and development policies.

Also present at the function were the Deputy Commissioner for Labour Joseph Yilda, Labour Export Officer from the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Chrispine Wanyahoro and several diplomatic corps among others.

The full report can be downloaded here