Communicating Effectively about Migration
Although we live in an era of the greatest human mobility in recorded history, with greater acknowledgement that migration is one of the defining features of our contemporary world, it remains one of the most misunderstood issues of our time. There is a need for a fundamental shift in the way we communicate about migration, especially during economic downturns when political discourse, media reports and public opinion on the nature, purpose and socio-economic impact of migration tend to be negative. Migrants’ voices must be heard in today’s all too often biased, polarized and negative debate on migration. This is according to IOM’s latest World Migration Report, focusing on: Communicating Effectively about Migration.
“It is all too evident that migration is often the catch-all issue that masks public fears and uncertainties relating to unemployment, housing and social cohesion in host countries. Migration can also be blamed for the loss of human capital and for economic dependency in countries of origin,” says IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.
The report argues that distorted communication about migration contributes to widespread anti-migrant sentiments, which have recently resurfaced in many parts of the world. Harmful stereotypes, discrimination and even xenophobia have reappeared in societies of destination, resulting in controversy on the value of multiculturalism.
Yet the report does not call for an uncritical bias on migration issues. An open discussion about migration means understanding and directly addressing what drives people’s fears and the negative attitudes as expressed in polls in order to reduce public hostility.
“Accurately informing the wider public about migration may be the single most important policy tool in all societies faced with increasing diversity,” Swing adds.
Analysing public perceptions of migrants and migration, the World Migration Report shows that people in destination countries tend to significantly overestimate the size of the migrant population, sometimes by as much as 300%. For example, the actual percentage of migrants in Italy was around 7% in 2010. Yet polls showed that the population perceived this percentage to be around a staggering 25%.
In South Africa, the actual number of migrants in the country is unknown, but estimates quoted in the media range from 1 million to 7 million migrants. A research survey of South African citizens conducted by the Southern Africa Migration Project in 2006 found that 84% felt “too many” foreign nationals were being allowed into the country and 37% wanted a total ban on immigration. In May 2008, xenophobic violence in South Africa left 63 people dead and displaced thousands.
The IOM report notes that public attitudes towards migration continue to be strongly influenced by the socio-economic status, age and level of education of respondents and their level of interaction with migrants.
The perceived availability of jobs and prevalent perceptions that migrants take jobs away from nationals and/or place a strain on a country’s resources also influence attitudes and poll results.
However, the report notes that opinion polls can be unreliable as their results may be based on false assumptions of what a migrant is or is not. It also underlines that surveys and media reports rarely pay attention to or echo the voice of employers, who remain key actors in today’s global migration scene.
The report underlines the critical need to communicate effectively about migration since managing migration also implies managing how migrants are perceived in society.
“In our increasingly interconnected world, communicating effectively about migration is paramount to promote a wider understanding that migration is both a reality and a necessity. If intelligently and humanely managed, migration is also highly desirable,” says Swing.
