STAFF REPORT
ISLAMABAD: Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres has urged the world for greater support for more investments in countries of origin to make sure that migration is a choice rather than a necessity.
In a message on the eve of International Migrants Day, the UN chief said that it is the day of 280 million people who left their homes in the universal pursuit of dignity, freedom, opportunity, and a standard life.
“Today, more than 80 % of the world’s migrants cross borders in a secure and orderly way. This movement of migrants is a powerful driver of dynamism and economic growth,” the UN chief said.
UN Secretary-General on Migration
The Secretary-General said migrant rights are human rights, and they (migrants) must be respected without discrimination, irrespective of whether their migration is voluntary, forced, or authorized.
The UN head asked the world to take steps to prevent the loss of life as a legal and moral obligation. He further said that they must provide for search and rescue efforts and medical care for the migrants.
“We should expand and diversify rights-based pathways for the movement of migrants to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and resolve issues of labor market shortages,” he added.
