Changing Climate, Changing Migration: Talking Money: Climate Finance and Migration

Billions of dollars are being spent on projects to help communities mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change, including those at risk of being displaced by environmental events. This episode features Timo Schmidt, from the Migration Policy Institute Europe, in a discussion about the growing field of climate finance and its implications for migration management and displacement prevention.
 

Changing Climate, Changing Migration: Purposeful and Coordinated: Climate Change and Managed Retreat in India

Confronting environmental change, whole communities sometimes relocate from one area to another. This purposeful, coordinated movement, while currently rare, is referred to as managed retreat. In this episode Architesh Panda, from the London School of Economics’ Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, explains how this climate adaptation strategy works in India.

Enhancing the Social and Economic Inclusion of Refugees through Local Development Strategies

Humanitarian and development actors in low- and middle-income countries that host refugees have focused many of their recent interventions on integrating newcomers into national development strategies and promoting access to public services nationwide. But how do these efforts play out at the local level?
This MPI Europe conversation explores how development actors can work with local authorities to enhance the social and economic inclusion of refugees. Subnational authorities have been at the forefront of hosting refugees; while their capacity can be narrow, they often have first-hand experience in managing relations between host and refugee communities. During this webchat, experts discuss partnerships between local authorities, the UNHCR, and development actors that are aimed at integrating refugees in local governance mechanisms. These experiences suggest that improvements for refugees often start at the local level, where general principles agreed upon in international fora are being tested. 
This discussion involving representatives from the World Bank, UNHCR, and Kenya’s Refugee Affairs Secretariat explores three main questions: How can development and humanitarian actors engage with local institutions to promote refugee inclusion? How has the involvement of refugees in local institutions materialized and what are the ways to ensure this participation leads to tangible changes? Finally, in fragile environments, how can discussions on refugee inclusion enhance the engagement of other groups that have traditionally been marginalized in refugee-hosting regions (e.g., internally displaced persons, ethnic minorities, or returnees)?

Migrants in Africa & COVID-19: From Emergency Measures to Inclusive Social Protection Systems

Most African states closed their borders in attempt to contain COVID-19, resulting in a loss of livelihood that has been devastating for many, including migrants, in the absence of a community-based safety net. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports migration flows in West and Central Africa were nearly halved between January and April 2020, leaving tens of thousands of people stranded and requiring assistance with shelter, health care, and food. Already under pressure to deliver health services and emergency safety nets for their citizens, host countries often lack the capacity and the resources to support migrants, especially the ones who are in transit or informal workers without legal status. As a result, assistance for migrants during this public-health crisis has often come from international organizations such as IOM, civil-society actors, or diasporas.
The coronavirus crisis has also raised longer-term questions about social protection systems in Africa and which dimensions should be set up and prioritized for funding. In many ways, the pandemic has confirmed the pressing need for social protection for everyone, particularly in terms of health care, as vulnerabilities in one group can affect overall community wellbeing. But the looming economic crisis also risks limiting the appetite of host governments and development aid donors for more ambitious protection systems for non-nationals, which may ultimately reduce the benefits of regional and continental free movement regimes that African countries have been working towards for a decade.
This MPI Europe discussion with the Acting Regional Director for West and Central Africa for the International Organization for Migration, along with representatives from the African Union and International Labor Organization explores what emergency measures have been deployed by African governments and aid actors in response to COVID-19 to assist migrants in need. The panelists also examine what the health crisis says about social protection systems, the incentives for inclusionary systems for all, who should support these mechanisms in times of crisis, and how to make (at least some of) these measures sustainable.

Migration & Coronavirus: A Complicated Nexus Between Migration Management and Public Health

Governments around the world have adopted significant migration management measures to try to contain and halt the spread of COVID-19. Border closures, travel restrictions, prohibitions on arrivals from certain areas, and heightened screening have been among the leading policy responses, initially to try to block COVID-19 from crossing borders and later, as the pandemic became a global one, as part of a raft of mobility restrictions seeking to mitigate further spread. The success of these restrictions in stemming the initial breakout of public health threats across international borders as well as their role in mitigating "community spread" within affected states is a matter of dispute. More clear, however, is that internal measures—such as business closures and "lockdown" orders—are likely to be borne disproportionately by the most vulnerable, including refugees, unauthorized populations, and other immigrants. This webinar, organized by the Migration Policy Institute and the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at The New School, discussed the state of play around the globe and examined where migration management and enforcement tools may be useful and where they may be ill-suited to advancing public health goals. Experts compared the current response (and rhetoric) to what has been seen during prior major public health crises in the United States and internationally, and discussed how this is likely to affect future mobility and international cooperation on issues such as humanitarian protection.
Speakers included:
Doris Meissner, Senior Fellow, MPI, and former Commissioner, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization ServiceNatalia Banulescu-Bogdan, Associate Director, International Program, Migration Policy Institute (MPI)T. Alexander Aleinikoff, University Professor and Director, Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility, and former Deputy UN High Commissioner for RefugeesAlan Kraut, Distinguished University Professor of History, American University, and MPI Nonresident FellowView all MPI resources related to COVID-19.

Chronicling Migration in the 21st Century Through One Family's Journey

The story of global migration as a force shaping economies, politics, and cultures around the world is typically told via analysis of data and policies, with a focus on trends rather than individuals. Yet at the end of the day, migration is the most human of phenomena, and one that has been around as long as humans have been on the planet. This discussion with award-winning New York Times reporter Jason DeParle traces the arc of migration and its impacts through the life of an extended family of Filipino migrants that he has followed from the slums of Manila to the Houston suburbs over three decades.
Marking the launch of DeParle's new book, A Good Provider Is One Who Leaves: One Family and Migration in the 21st Century, this conversation with MPI's Andrew Selee and the World Bank's Dilip Ratha explores migration at both a global and very personal level.
As he chronicles the story of three generations of a Filipino family, DeParle documents the personal, cultural, and economic challenges and opportunities the family faces, whether as migrants or those remaining behind. His reporting and analysis on immigration trends, the costs and rewards of migration to both sending and receiving communities, and examination of the political and economic questions surrounding migration offer the opportunity for a rich discussion. 

A Conversation with António Vitorino, the Director General of the International Organization for Migration

The world is home to approximately 258 million international migrants, who represent 3.4 percent of the global population. About 10 percent of them are refugees. As countries seek to come to terms with record forcible displacement and manage other human movement, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is working with partners in the international community to respond to humanitarian emergencies and meet the operational challenges of migration management, advance a better understanding of migration issues, and promote orderly migration policies that can benefit migrants and Member States alike.
In this first and only public address during his inaugural formal visit to Washington, DC. Director General António Vitorino discussed his vision for IOM; reforms and changes in the UN system designed to address migration matters better; the coordination of efforts between IOM, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other international partners in addressing humanitarian protection; and the operational steps IOM is taking to respond to forced migration and displacement in hotspots around the world, including Venezuela, Bangladesh, and Libya. Following a conversation with Demetrios Papademetriou, Mr. Vitorino took audience questions.

Understanding the Policy Context for Migrant Return and Reintegration

In December 2018 in Marrakech, UN Member States are scheduled to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. Among the compact’s many groundbreaking ambitions is a commitment to facilitate the return, readmission, and reintegration of migrants that recognizes the priorities of both origin and destination countries. Implementing this commitment may, however, prove extremely challenging.
Migrant returns take place along a spectrum ranging from wholly voluntary—at times even solicited by countries of origin—to compulsory or, at the extreme, physically forced. The ways in which returns are carried out vary widely, from individualized legal proceedings with due process and reintegration support, to coercive mass returns with no legal or humanitarian safeguards.
This webinar examines the policies, practices, and contextual factors that make compulsory returns such a difficult issue for international cooperation, and the programs that are being implemented to make reintegration of returnees sustainable. Speakers explore the competing perspectives migration policymakers must attempt to reconcile when considering returns—from the rule of law to humanitarian, development, security, and stability concerns. With all eyes turning towards the challenges of compact implementation, speakers discuss the possibility for international cooperation on returns and how reintegration assistance and development cooperation can mitigate shocks to often-fragile communities of origin, add positive incentives for return, and ameliorate the conditions at origin that motivate people to migrate.
The discussion draws on an MPI policy brief that explores the policy frameworks of return and the role of reintegration and development assistance in international cooperation on safe and sustainable returns. The brief forms part of a collaboration between MPI and GIZ supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Making the Global Compact on Migration a Reality: Ideas for Enhancing Regular Migration Pathways at All Skill Levels

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 26, the UN Special Representative for International Migration will launch the final phase of preparations for the historic adoption of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration in Marrakesh, Morocco in December 2018. As the global compact moves from the realm of ideas and into reality, the focus of states and UN bodies is shifting from design to implementation.
This podcast considers two central objectives of the compact: enhancing the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, and investing in skills development. Experts from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the Germany Development Cooperation Agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, or GIZ) discuss concrete ideas for implementing these objectives. Panelists examine how migration pathways can be expanded, including through bilateral and regional agreements, to meet the needs of labor markets in destination countries while safeguarding migrants against abuse. The podcast also draws on lessons from previous migration partnerships to assess the potential of “skills partnerships,” a concept proposed by the compact that aim to facilitate the training and development of skilled workers who can fill labor market gaps in both countries of origin and destination.
The discussion draws on research conducted for the project, Towards a Global Compact for Migration: Rethinking the Links between Migration and Development, by MPI and GIZ, and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Immigration Data Matters: How to Find the Most Accurate Resources

With immigration increasingly visible in the news and the political space in the United States and internationally, getting access to accurate, high-quality data is essential for publics and policymakers to understand immigration’s demographic effects and impacts on the economy, education and labor systems, and the communities in which immigrants and their families live and work.
This event marks the release of an updated version of the popular Immigration Data Matters guide, which directs users to more than 220 international and U.S. data sources, and explains how to navigate sometimes complex datasets issued by government statistical agencies, international organizations, and reputable research organizations. This handy online guide includes data sources covering everything from the size of foreign-born population stocks and flows to citizenship applications, children in immigrant families, refugee admissions, migrant deaths, international student enrollment, global remittance flows, enforcement activities, and much more. 
At a time of proliferating data sources on immigration and immigrants, the presenters (Jeanne Batalova, MPI Senior Policy Analyst and Data Hub Manager, MPI; Mark Mather, Population Reference Bureau Associate Vice President for U.S. Programs; Elizabeth M. Grieco, Pew Research Center Senior Writer/Editor and former U.S. Census Bureau Foreign-Born Population Branch Chief; and Marc Rosenblum, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Director of the Office of Immigration Statistics at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security) discuss where some of the most user-friendly data can be accessed, including MPI’s own Migration Data Hub. They share their insights on how to avoid common pitfalls in using existing immigration data and highlight relevant data sources available from international organizations and national governments, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  

Beyond Stock-Taking: The Path Ahead to a Global Compact for Migration

Representatives of national governments, UN agencies, and key civil-society organizations convened in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at the beginning of December 2017 to take stock of the progress that has been made towards conceptualizing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM). Formal negotiations are scheduled to begin in 2018 to fulfill the commitment made at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016 by Member States to negotiate a Global Compact for Migration by the end of 2018—a task that was complicated with the decision by the Trump administration to withdraw from the further consultations.
To reflect on the latest developments and the outcomes of the stocktaking meeting, MPI hosted discussion with Eva Åkerman Börje, Senior Policy Advisor in the office of the UN Special Representative for International Migration, and Ilse Hahn, Head of Division on Policy Issues of Displacement and Migration, from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The discussion, moderated by MPI Senior Fellow Kathleen Newland, also drew from the conclusions of MPI's policy brief, The Global Compact for Migration: How Does Development Fit In?
This webinar is part of a project, "Towards a Global Compact for Migration: Rethinking the Links between Migration and Development", by MPI and the German Development Cooperation Agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, or GIZ), supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. In 2018, the project will issue a series of policy briefs aimed at enriching the conversation around migration and development in the context of the Global Compact negotiations.

Focusing on Protection: Previewing Upcoming High-Level Fora on Migration

With global displacement at record levels, it is clear that humanitarian protection will continue to be a key focus for policymakers and the international community throughout 2016. This year's calendar is dotted with a series of high-profile international events related to migration and refugee protection—including conferences in London (February 4) and Geneva (March 30) addressing the fallout of the Syrian civil war, and a pair of summits on refugees and migrants hosted by the United Nations and the United States in September. These high-level meetings could prove crucial in paving the way for meaningful solutions for the world’s forcibly displaced populations.Migration Policy Institute (MPI) experts join the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on International Migration, Peter Sutherlan, for a webinar focusing on what can be expected to be discussed at this year’s high-level migration summits, and what tangible results might occur. In addition to Mr. Sutherland, the webinar features MPI Senior Fellow T. Alexander Aleinikoff, former UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, and MPI Senior Fellow and Co-Founder Kathleen Newland.

Shortage Amid Surplus: Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines

The Philippines has the most sophisticated labor-exporting model in the world. Despite the robust supply of workers in the Philippines, there is a concern that emigration—coupled with limited capacity of local training institutions—has contributed to labor shortages in key industries.The International Organization for Migration and the Migration Policy Institute hosted a breakfast briefing to discuss these critical issues and launch the Issue in Brief, Shortage amid Surplus: Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines, the fifteenth in this joint-publication series offering succinct insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region today.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Plenary Closing Session: Wrap Up and Discussion of the “Bali Commitment on Skill Mobility within ASEAN”

The two-day Bali Forum’s concluding session discusses the “Bali Commitment on Skill Mobility in ASEAN,” a joint statement of organizations and institutions in the region identifying areas for reform and where coordinated regional action is needed and can be most effective in terms of increasing the movement of skilled professionals within the ASEAN region—a key goal of the ASEAN Economic Community. The Bali Forum was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Migration Policy Institute (MPI) to launch a joint initiative on the mobility of skilled labor in the ASEAN region. Chairs included Imelda Nicolas, Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas; Demetrios G. Papademetriou, President Emeritus of MPI and President of MPI Europe; and Rana Hasan, Director of the Development Economics and Indicators Division in the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department at ADB.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Lunch Conversation II: Moving Recognition Forward in ASEAN: Views from Non-state Actors

This discussion at the Bali Forum, kicking off a joint initiative between the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Migration Policy Institute (MPI), addresses questions pertaining to labor recruiting practices, foreign qualifications, and how policymakers can make the status quo more employer-friendly. Panelists include Tan Sri Dr. Munir Majid, Chairman of CIMB ASEAN Research Institute; and Supang Chantavanich, Honored Professor of Sociology and Director of the Asian Research Center for Migration (ARCM) at Chulalongkorn University; with host Ronald Skeldon, Professorial Fellow in Geography at the Sussex Centre for Migration Research.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Plenary Session VI: Charting a Post 2015 Vision: A Conversation on Country Action Plans Beyond 2015

This session from the Bali Forum features an in-depth conversation with national delegates on the barriers ASEAN member governments face in implementing mutual recognition arrangements (MRAs) in job sectors identified for greater movement of skilled workers within ASEAN, and their plans for fully addressing them beyond 2015. The Bali Forum was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), as part of a joint initiative which aims to reduce barriers to the free flow of skilled labor amongst countries in ASEAN.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Plenary Session V: Skill Mobility and Regional Development: A Conversation with Hiroshi Kato, Lurong Chen, and Ronald Skeldon

The second day of the Bali Forum, organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), started with a conversation exploring skill mobility’s impact on regional development and competitiveness. The panel discusses what the ASEAN region stands to gain from adopting a more comprehensive approach to facilitating skill mobility. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Vice President Hiroshi Kato draws insights from JICA's experience in the Asia-Pacific region while Lurong Chen, Economist at the Economic Research Institute for Asia and East Asia, and Ron Skeldon, Professorial Fellow in Geography at the Sussex Centre for Migration Research, explore lessons for ASEAN from other subregions in Asia and beyond.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Plenary Session IV: Conversation on the AQRF and NQFs: Progress and Prospects for Supporting MRA Implementation

This session of the Bali Forum, organized by the Asian Development Bank and the Migration Policy Institute, focuses on the progress on the implementation of the ASEAN Qualification Reference Framework (AQRF) and of the mutual referencing process with National Qualification Frameworks (NQFs). Focusing on the areas of tourism, architecture, engineering, medicine, nursing, and dentistry, panelists explore how developments in AQRF and NQFs can support the implementation of mutual recognition arrangements that will facilitate the flow of skilled labor in the ASEAN region. The panelists are Zita Mohd Fahmi, Special Quality Assurance (QA) Consultant, Malaysian Qualifications Agency, and Secretary, ASEAN Quality Assurance Network Executive Board; and Panya Chanthavong, Deputy Director, Educational Standards and Quality Assurance Centre, Ministry of Education and Sports. The conversation was led by Megawati Santoso, Vice-Chair, ASEAN Task Force on ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Plenary Session III: Panel on Recognizing Foreign Qualifications and Experience within ASEAN: Progress and Challenges in Implementing the MRAs

This session of the Bali Forum, organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), explores progress toward smoother skills transfers between countries in the ASEAN region—highlighting the challenges that remain toward the full recognition of qualifications and credentials in several of the ASEAN mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) target occupations. ASEAN-level coordinating committee chairs and sectoral leaders share the key areas of progress and challenges in implementing the MRAs and MRA Frameworks, and the ASEAN Secretariat Director for Market Integration, Ho Quang Trung, offers comments. Panelists included Yolanda D. Reyes, Chair of the ASEAN Architect Council (AAC), Leandro A. Conti, Chair of the ASEAN Chartered Professional Engineering Coordinating Committee (ACPECC), Nirwan Noh, Undersecretary of the Industry Development Division at the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Estelita C. Aguirre, Chair of the ASEAN Federation of Accountants, and Ho Quang Trung, Director for Market Integration Directorate in the ASEAN Secretariat. Maria Vincenza Desiderio, a Policy Analyst at MPI Europe provided an overview presentation, and Lesleyanne Hawthorne, Professor, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne acted as Chairperson.

Bali Forum on Skill and Mobility in ASEAN – Lunch Conversation I: Quality Assurance on Training and Education: Prospects on Developing ASEAN-wide Regional Standards

This lunch conversation at the Bali Forum, organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), examines the mobility of students in the region and takes a longer-term view by exploring prospects in developing ASEAN-wide regional standards within national training and education systems. The panel also highlights good practices in the field of Quality Assurance, exploring how best to strengthen mutual recognition of degrees and deepen trust among universities in the region. The panelists are Nantana Gajaseni, Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network, and Siow Yue Chia, Senior Research Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, with host Fernando T. Aldaba, Professor of Economics at Ateneo de Manila University.