Introduction

More people are on the move than at any time in history; there are now some 232 million international migrants around the world. The search for better living and working conditions, growing inequalities between and within countries, discrimination and other human rights violations, poverty, environmental degradation, conflict and violence, as well as demands from labour markets, continue to push and pull migrants across international borders. Estimates suggest that migrants who are in an irregular situation represent 15 to 20 per cent of all international migrants, i.e., 30 to 40 million people worldwide. Contrary to some popular perception, such migrants do not move only between the South and the North; over recent decades South-South migration has increased and research suggests that many of these migrants are in an irregular situation.

Related Subject(s): Economic and Social Development