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Regional Workshop on International Migration Statistics, Cairo, Egypt, 30 June - 3July 2009.

Regional Workshop on International Migration Statistics, Cairo, Egypt, 30 June - 3July 2009. International migration challenges in the ESCWA region. Frederico Neto, Chief, Social Development Division (SDD) UN-ESCWA. Increased number of migrants in the region (in millions).

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Regional Workshop on International Migration Statistics, Cairo, Egypt, 30 June - 3July 2009.

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  1. Regional Workshop on International Migration Statistics, Cairo, Egypt, 30 June - 3July 2009. International migration challenges in the ESCWA region Frederico Neto, Chief, Social Development Division (SDD) UN-ESCWA

  2. Increased number of migrants in the region (in millions) Source: UN Population Division

  3. Coexistence of several types of international migration • Temporary, transit and permanent migration • Labour and family migration • Different skill levels • Illegal migration • Forced migration High proportion of immigrants in Gulf countries • Immigrants form one-third (36%) of the total population in the Gulf region • Immigrants form about 90% of the labour force in Qatar, UAE and Kuwait • More than two-thirds of the immigrants to the Gulf originate from Asia • The share of those originating from other Arab countries was around 25% in 2005

  4. Increased youth propensity to migrate. • High youth unemployment rate in the region fuels rise in youth migration • Youth form a large share of the total unemployed population: • 40% to 60% of the unemployed population in Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and Yemen • 80% in Kuwait and Qatar, 75% in Bahrain and 65% in Oman • Unemployment rates are higher among young women as compared with young men. The female youth unemployment rate in the region is 24%

  5. Increase in female labour immigration in selected jobs • Increasing number of female immigrants in domestic work, provision of health or personal assistance, childrearing, etc. • This phenomenon is widespread in Gulf countries and is also emerging in Lebanon and Jordan • The estimated number of female labour immigrants in the ESCWA region is 1.5 million

  6. High level of remittances flowing from and to the ESCWA region • In 2004, Gulf countries were the source of US$ 26 billion in remittances • Saudi Arabia is the 2nd most important source of remittances worldwide • In 2003, the ESCWA region received US$ 21.6 billions in the form of formal/registered remittances • Gulf countries are the source of almost half the remittances flowing to Lebanon, one third to Sudan and Yemen, and a quarter to Jordan • How to consider informal remittances in migration statistics?

  7. Demographic challenge:Distortion of the age-sex structure in the ESCWA region Distorted sex ratios in working age groups because of the sizeable foreign labour force (mostly males)

  8. Economic and social challenges • Unemployment rates, particularly among youth, are increasing in some GCC countries (e.g. 21% in Bahrain and 26% in Saudi Arabia in 2005 • Unprecedented expansion of the public sector has inflated their wage bills • Partly because of the sponsored migration (Kafeel) system, along with the unprotected status of migrants in many countries, the social protection is a key challenge

  9. Data and institutional challenges • Lack of data and knowledge related to the distribution of migrants by gender, educational level, occupation, rural/urban origin • Lack of standardized definitions of international migration, making it difficult to compare data of different countries, including discrepancies between sending and receiving countries • Unavailability of regional research centers specialized in international migration issues • Lack of specialized surveys tackling the issue of international migration • Unavailability of regional migration databases/information systems combining 2 components: data and policies.

  10. Way forward: The need for regional cooperation • There is an urgent need to establish a Regional • Consultative Process (RCP) for the management of • international migration: • 1- Among ESCWA or Arab countries (sending and receiving); • 2- Between receiving Arab countries and sending Asian • countries; • 3- Between sending Arab countries and receiving European • countries.

  11. Way forward: The need for regional cooperation RCP common areas of interest: 1- Exchanging data on migration from surveys, censuses, and administrative records; 2- Exchanging information and data in relation to undocumented migration and the trafficking of individuals across borders; 3- Exploring means of maximizing the benefits of migration, whether for sending or receiving countries; 4- Cooperating to channel the benefits of emigration to national development in the sending countries; 5- Tackling any emerging migration-related issues.

  12. Thank you

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