The potential of migration to contribute to the development and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals is widely acknowledged but remains unrealized, in large part due to intersectional inequalities at the global, national, and local levels that determine who is (and is not) able to migrate and under what conditions. These inequalities are associated with a lack of rights for migrants and their families; difficult, expensive, and sometimes dangerous journeys; and inequitable development outcomes.

The overarching objective of this area of work is to increase understanding of the complex relationships between migration and inequality in the context of development, with the aim of embedding this understanding in intersectoral and intergovernmental policy approaches that reduce inequality and maximize the contribution of migration to development. Work under this Equitable Development and Migration pillar will include in-depth field-driven research on the relationships between migration, inequality, and development in the context of the Global South, paying particular attention to the ways in which intersectional inequalities associated with gender, age, race, and poverty shape migration experiences and outcomes. This will include research and policy analysis on specific thematic issues including, but not limited to, better understanding the drivers of migration in the Global South, tackling rights violations associated with migration, and maximizing the benefits of migration for Member States, individuals, families, and communities.

Research under this Pillar will respond to the challenges associated with migration by generating new evidence, assessing and developing policy tools, and supporting the equitable implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) and the Global Compact on Safe and Orderly Migration (GCM). The pillar of work will be of relevance to UN agencies, international organizations, civil society organizations, and other actors in both the migration policy domain and broader policy areas, most notably development, humanitarian, and social protection.

EDM Migration Policy Roundtable Series

The EDM Migration Policy Roundtable Series brings together UN agencies, Member States, international and civil society organizations and academics to explore the evidence in relation to key policy issues relating to equitable development and migration. The events are held in a hybrid format, alternating between New York and Geneva. Previous roundtables include:

• Understanding Climate-related Mobility in Contexts of Urbanization
• Migration and Decent Work: Challenges for the Global South
• From Promises to Practice: Towards the Effective Implementation of the Global Compact on Migration

Recent Outputs

• Shrinking the Justice Gap: Rethinking Access to Justice for Migrants in the Global South
• Safe Return and Voluntary Repatriation for Syrian Refugees from Lebanon: What Needs to Happen Next?
• Enhancing the Development Potential of South-South Migration

Ongoing and Completed Projects

• Child Migrants and their Rights in Context
• Access to Justice (A2J) for Migrants in the Global South
• Development and Peace Responses to Forced Displacement: The Role of Political Will
• The Impact of COVID-19 on Humanitarian Access (2021)
• Developing Freedom (2021)
• Surges and Swarms: A Conversation on Responsible Coverage of Migration (2018)

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