..Press Release................................ UNESCAP News Services

Date 12 April 2006
Press Release No: G/23/CS62/17

UNESCAP’s 62nd Commission Session, 6-12 April 2006

Opening Remarks by
KIM HAK-SU
UN Under-Secretary-General and
ESCAP Executive Secretary

Side event: Gender Dimension of
International Migration, 12 April 2006

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you this morning to the side event on “Gender and Migration.”

At the outset, let me express my deep appreciation to the Ministry for Women Empowerment, Indonesia, for proposing this very important and timely event. Today, we are very much encouraged by the presence of H.E. Meutia Hatta Swasono, Minister for Women Empowerment.

For centuries, people in Asia and the Pacific have migrated in search of work or a better life. International migration in the region has long been referred to as migration for permanent settlement in the West, particularly in the traditional countries of immigration. Over the past decade, however, the cross-border movement of people within the region has risen rapidly.

Today, out of 191 million people living outside their home countries worldwide, about 58 million, or about one-third of all international migrants live in Asia and the Pacific. While a few countries in the region can be characterized as either key countries of origin and destination in the region, a growing number of countries have become both receiving and sending countries. Given persistent disparities of income levels and economic interdependence among countries, the mobility of people in the region is unlikely to abate in the foreseeable future. International migration has now become part of the region’s economic, social and political fabric.

The so-called “feminization” or increasing participation of women in migration, especially in labour migration, is a noticeable trend in Asia and the Pacific. In fact, in some countries in the region, women make up a majority of outflows of migrant workers. With international migration, migrant women are playing increasingly important roles as financial providers and development agents.

Gender equality and empowerment are essential for the achievement of many internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly Goal 3. Migration could contribute to the empowerment of women, and hence promote gender equality. At the same time, migration processes and mechanisms that place women in vulnerable situations also pose a challenge. I’m sure that we shall hear more about that from today’s panellists.

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The human dimension of migration often receives marginal attention in the migration debate and in existing policy frameworks. While the economic benefits of migration are apparent, its social costs remain a source of great concern. The consequences of brain-drain and the impact of migration on family and gender roles require careful attention. Family separation exacts social costs on spouses and children left behind. Addressing the challenges of international migration requires an understanding and awareness of the social and economic implications of migration, and recognition of its inter-linkages with other issues, including the gender dimension. These are among the key conclusions of the Regional Seminar on the Social Implications of International Migration held by ESCAP, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), in August last year.

With its growing scale and complexity, international migration is emerging as a priority issue that calls for regional and international cooperation on its management. As a result, the international community has strengthened its efforts to address international migration issues in order to maximize its benefits while minimizing its negative impacts.

I am happy to inform you that, in recognition of the growing importance of regional cooperation in managing international migration, ESCAP together with other United Nations agencies and intergovernmental organizations established, in September 2005, the Regional Thematic Working Group on International Migration, including Human Trafficking. The Regional Thematic Working Group, currently co-chaired by ESCAP and IOM, is expected to strengthen regional coordination, promote research and information sharing, disseminate best practices and identify priority areas for action, thereby supporting Government policies and programmes aimed at addressing the challenges of international migration.

With the widening impact of migration, greater attention is being given to migration policy development. The international community, through the United Nations system, has focused on finding solutions for migration pressures and the development gap between origin and destination countries.

In this connection, the United Nations General Assembly will convene a High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York from 14-15 September 2006. It may be recalled that the General Assembly has invited regional commissions to contribute to and coordinate dialogue at the regional level in preparation for the High-Level Dialogue. I urge the member states and associate members of ESCAP to continue to exchange their views and experiences on international migration, at this and other fora, with a view to ensuring that regional issues and concerns are effectively articulated in the upcoming High-Level Dialogue.

Thank you again for your interest and participation in this event. I wish all panellists and participants every success in your deliberations.

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