Women and international migration topics of the annual report of UNFPA
Press release 344/2006
6 September, 2006
House maids, refugees, physicians, sex workers, students, victims of trafficking – millions of women leave their native country every year, either willingly or by force. The annual report of the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, published on 6 September, illustrates the diversity of international migration, its causes and consequences, of which women both benefit and suffer in different ways. In conjunction with the annual report, UNFPA also issues a special youth edition which introduces the stories of ten young people who left their native country for different reasons. The report was introduced in Finland by Mari Simonen, Deputy Executive Director of UNFPA.
Today, women constitute almost half of all international migrants worldwide - 95 million. For many women emigration is a path to a world of greater equality, enabling them to better utilize their own skills and competence. Every year women send hundreds of millions of dollars in remittance funds back to their native countries to feed the hungry, clothe and educate children, provide health care and improve the living standards of those left behind. In host countries, the labour of migrant women may be essential for the functioning of the society - although its significance often goes unnoticed. The knowledge, skills and attitudes adopted by these women may have a considerable impact on the development of both the origin and receiving countries, promotion of human rights and equality, and the growth of cultural diversity.
On the other hand, emigration may complicate the situation particularly in developing countries. As educated people leave, the country loses both skilled labour and the funds invested in education. Lack of nurses and physicians is particularly serious in Sub-Saharan Africa, which is also heavily plagued by HIV/AIDS and other infection diseases.
At its worst, migration means for millions of women exile, trafficking or exploitation of house maids bordering on slavery. Women trafficked to prostitution or sold as wives, for example, as well as house maids fully dependent from their employer rarely have the possibility to appeal to the authorities in fear of deportation. Trafficking weakens also national security and stability. Weak multilateral co-operation between countries and failure to establish and enforce laws ensuring safe migration means that it is the most vulnerable who will pay – often with their lives.
Currently migration is characterized by increasing inequality: highly educated migrants enjoy the benefits of migration at the same time when the moving of the poor and unskilled is made even more difficult. The UNFPA report underlines that migration and development go hand in hand. Voluntary migration as such should not be shackled, but managing its advantages and disadvantages requires international co-operation. Immigration policies should ensure that measures taken do not increase unequality and discrimination that many immigrants – particularly women – already have to face. Rapid action is required also for preventing trafficking. The point of departure for a successful policy must be the recognition of human rights and gender equality.
Migration and development are among the central development policy themes of the Finnish Presidency of the European Union. On 14 and 15 September, the representatives of the world’s governments participate for the first time in high-level UN dialogue focusing on international migration and development. This meeting offers the opportunity to secure that opinions concerning women and migration will also be heard. The Finnish delegation is headed by Minister of Labour Tarja Filatov.
Finland has been an active supporter of UNFPA for many years. In 2006, our general aid to UNFPA amounted to EUR 14.5 million. Furthermore, Finland has supported, among other things, UNFPA's youth activity and contraceptive work.
Additional information: Milma Kettunen, Communications Officer, Development Policy Communications at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 (0)9 1605 6356