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Primary GCM Objectives

GCM Guiding Principles*

*All practices are to uphold the ten guiding principles of the GCM. This practice particularly exemplifies these listed principles.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dates

2023 - Present

Type of practice

Other

Geographic scope

Regions:

Asia

Europe

Summary

The population in the SEEECA region (South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia) has observed a decline in its growth in the last decade, mainly due to negative net migration, low total fertility rates and decreased life expectancy at birth in the Central and Eastern Europe region. After the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022 and 2023, SEEECA experienced major demographic changes due to displacement caused by conflict and natural hazards such as the invasion of the Russian Federation of Ukraine in February 2022 and the earthquakes that hit Türkiye and northwest Syria in February 2023. Migration can play a key structural role in adjusting to demographic changes, labor market imbalances and economic fluctuations but to sustain economic growth, the working-age population must increase, labor-force participation rates must go up and/or productivity has to increase through technological advances and/or skills development. However, it is necessary to promote forward-looking immigration policies that allow larger numbers of migrants and consider their long-run impact.

Therefore, the idea behind having a Thematic Brief on “Migration and Demographics in the SEEECA region” was to provide IOM Missions in the SEEEECA region an updated data picture on trends and forecast population and migratory movements in the region, combining primary and secondary sources.

The initiative utilizes quantitative data from the following sources: UN DESA International Migrant Stock (2021) and UN DESA World Population Prospects (2023); UNHCR data on refugees and the Ukraine Situation (related to 2023); Federal State Statistics of the Russian Federation (2023) and Eurostat (2023); OECD data on the migration of health personnel (2023); ILO global estimates on migrant workers (2021); WB World Development Indicators (2023); data from the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) and the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Interior Presidency of Migration Management (PMM) (2023); and UNICEF data (2022).

The thematic brief was published in February 2024 and is intended to be a periodical product, now also covering the new IOM region of Europe and Central Asia.

Benefit and Impact

The main positive benefit for having such an instrument as the Thematic Brief on “Migration and Demographics in the SEEECA region” is to provide IOM Missions a deepened and further data-based tool for planning projects, reports and further policies to be implemented.
Positive secondary benefit is to have a clearer, up-to-date vision of the whole region, considering the multitude of studies and data summed up in a unique thematic brief. This thematic brief on demographic changes, projections, forced displacement, and labor migration enhances IOM's analytical capacity in migration management.

Key Lessons

There are some data gaps in the analysis due to lack of some indicators in the SEEECA countries, territories and areas, mainly related to census. There are also differences in definitions which can bring further problems in the counting such as double counting or different counting. For instance, Syrians in Türkiye are defined as “migrants”, in quality of temporary protection holders, instead of “refugees” as in the rest of the country so are counted differently by national Turkish authorities and Uthe N system.

Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)

The Thematic Brief on “Migration and Demographics in the SEEECA region” is replicable for each region and sub-region at UN Level, having also involved in the peer-reviewed process the IOM Missions for each country, territory or area involved. Other UN regions can benefit from replicating regional analyses on migration and demographics, with more in-depth country-specific examples.

Innovation

This publication could be considered innovative in offering analysis based on data available at global level for the region and sub-regions. The Thematic Brief can be also seen as a deepened product of the “SEEECA Region on the move: Migration data report 2021-2022" produced at regional level by IOM, to which it strictly linked. The goal of the report is to present the most up-to-date migration statistics and data related to the region for international and national actors on migrant protection, migrant health, migration and environment and climate change, education and assistance to migrants on pre-departure training, voluntary return and reintegration. The Thematic Brief on Migration and Demographics offers the opportunity to deepen the demographic aspects and consequences related to the migratory movements for the SEEECA region. https://rovienna.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl661/files/documents/2023-06/seeeca-region-on-the-move-migration-data-report-2021-2022.pdf

Additional Resources

Download the thematic brief

Link to the thematic brief online

Date submitted:

10 July 2024

Disclaimer: The content of this practice reflects the views of the implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Network on Migration, and its members.