Lebanon

One billion people are on the move

Nearly one billion people are on the move, 740 million are internal migrants and 214 million are international migrants, and only 70 million are migrating from developing countries to developed ones, according to the United Nations Development Programme Global Human Development report 2009. The launch of the report took place on Tuesday 6th of October 2009 at the American University of Beirut and was hosted by the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policies and International Affairs. 

This year’s report titled “Overcoming barriers: Human mobility and development” focuses on the theme of migration and shows that human mobility can bring large gains for human development. 
Mobility matters, explained Ms Marta Ruedas, the UNDP Resident Representative, since it complements development. She added that Migration raises a person’s income (around 15,000 USD per annum), doubles the education enrolment rates (from 47% to 95 %), reduces child mortality (from 112 to 7 deaths per 1,000 live births) and increases employment.
However, the report explains that migration is not a substitute for domestic programmes or an alternative to efforts by developing countries to improve human well- being.
“Migration can benefit those who move and those who stay,” says the Report written by lead author Jeni Klugman. “However, migration cannot be the sole national strategy to accelerate human development. Countries must continue to address the constraints to human development at home, with migration viewed as a potential element in a broad-based approach.”
In addition, the report offers a number of recommendations, and proposes key reforms and better policies to maximize the benefits of migration and ensure the rights of migrants. 

Ms. Ruedas also explained that the Human Development Index ( HDI), based on data from international data agencies, is the summary indicator of people’s well-being. The HDI is been calculated for 182 countries, focusing on measurable dimensions of human development: life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and GDP per capita. 

In this report, Lebanon’s HDI value according to 2007 data is 0.803, positioning the country at 83 out of 182 countries and areas.
Dr. Jad Chaaban, from the American University of Beirut, explained that migration and brain drain are Lebanese facts.
Estimates put annual emigration rates between 15, 000 and 20, 000 immigrants, said Chaaban, adding that most migrants are located in the Arab Gulf, North America and Australia.
He also presented the majors causes of the brain drain, such as political instability, the high cost of living, the tight labor market for skilled graduates…
But the question remains: are there really positive effects to migration?
Of course, answered Dr. Chaaban, explaining that Lebanon receives almost 4.5 billion USD per year in remittances that are nearly 20 % of GDP.
“We are sending money through foreign workers nearly as much as we are receiving” he added. 

Ms Rima Rassi, a researcher on migration from the Lebanese American University, called for a free and independent migration insisting on the necessity of ensuring the rights of migrants. 

At the end of the ceremony, Ms Ruedas announced that the UNDP Lebanon will be launching on November 2009, a new initiative called “Live Lebanon”.
In cooperation with the Directorate General for Emigrants of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, this new project is an online platform that will allow Lebanese expatriates to engage in and make online donations to development projects in Lebanon’s most disadvantaged areas.