International Migrant Day (18/12)

On December 18, 1990, the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families.

Ten years later, on December 4, 2000, the UN General Assembly established International Migrants Day and decided to celebrate it annually on December 18 (resolution 55/93). This decision was made due to the fact that in recent years the number of migrants around the world has increased significantly.

The resolution also invited all UN member states, governmental and non-governmental organizations to celebrate International Migrants Day through activities to disseminate information about the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, exchange experiences and develop measures to ensure their protection.

Migration has always been a part of the life of the entire world community. Since time immemorial, people have been moving around in search of new opportunities and a better life. Climate change, demographic factors, instability, growing inequality and people's desire for a better life, as well as unmet needs in labor markets — all mean that migration will continue.

Many developed and dynamic developing countries require migrant workers to fill jobs that cannot be outsourced and are rejected by the local population for the wages offered. The increase in demand is also explained by the aging of the population, since there is a labor shortage in relation to dependents. And as the level of education of the younger generation increases, only a few of them accept low-paid and hard physical work.

Evidence suggests that migrants everywhere enrich societies from economic, social and cultural perspectives. Moreover, international migration in many cases is beneficial for both countries of origin and countries of destination. However, hostility towards migrants is growing around the world.

In addition, due to the constant lack of safe and regular migration routes, millions of people continue to go on dangerous trips every year. Since 2014, more than 50,000 migrants have died on migration routes around the world.

Therefore, the phenomenon of migration is attracting more and more public attention. Experts estimate that the total number of international migrants increased from 175 million in 2000 to 281 million in 2020, representing 3.6% of the world's population. One in thirty-five people on the planet is a migrant living and working outside their country. Every tenth migrant is under 15 years of age. The majority of migrants live in Europe (82 million) and Asia (84 million).

The unpredictability, extraordinary nature and complexity of the tasks involved in the migration process require coherent action and cooperation between regions and countries. The UN plays an active role in this area by promoting dialogue and interaction between countries and regions, as well as encouraging the exchange of experience and increased opportunities for cooperation.

On 19 September 2016, the General Assembly made a number of commitments during the first-ever high-level meeting on refugees and migrants to strengthen protection measures for refugees and migrants. These commitments are contained in the New York Declaration. It expresses the political will of world leaders to save lives, protect human rights and share responsibilities equitably at the global level. On December 10, 2018, at the Intergovernmental Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, representatives of 164 states approved the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Legal Migration.

International Migrants Day is celebrated in many countries by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations by disseminating information on the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants, as well as various events and workshops explaining immigrant rights laws.

Every year on this day, calls can be heard for the international community to pay greater attention to the significant number of migrants in difficulty, away from home and in need of assistance and protection.



Postcard «December 18 — International Migrant Day» Story «Falling in love with a migrant, what does this mean?»

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