Sida's work with migration and development
Global migration is increasing and more people than ever are on the move. Sida's work in migration aims to strengthen human rights and reduce poverty. Sida works to find long-term solutions that improve the situation of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons.
Progress has been made
Highlights the rights of migrants and refugees
The UN has developed global frameworks to enhance the rights of migrants and refugees. The frameworks are based on international human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. International cooperation at both regional and global level is needed to achieve results in migration and development work.
Including migrants and refugees
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear why migrants and refugees must receive the same health care as the rest of the population. As a result, countries are beginning to recognise the importance of including refugees and migrants in their planning of social services such as health care.
Migration as a development resource
More and more countries see safe and orderly migration as a driver of economic growth. Migration can contribute to sustainable development and reduce inequalities, both within and between countries and people.
Challenges remain
More people on the move for longer
More and more people are forced to flee due to conflict, violence and climate-related causes.1 Most are fleeing within their own countries or to nearby low-income countries.2 Refugee situations are increasingly protracted, often lasting more than five years and sometimes more than 20 years. As a result, the number of refugees in the world has increased over time and the vulnerability of areas hosting refugees has persisted or increased.
Involuntary migrants hit hard by crises
Most people who flee their country end up in nearby low-income countries. They risk not being entitled to livelihoods, education or social services. Involuntary migrants and refugees are particularly affected by crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.3
Unregulated migration increases vulnerability
Much of the world’s migration is not safe, orderly or regulated. There is widespread smuggling and trafficking in human beings, which usually involves violations of people’s protection and rights. Migrant workers are often subject to exploitation and indebtedness.
Sida's work on migration and development
84 million people are currently displaced, 55 million of whom are internally displaced. This is the highest figure ever.4 The causes are often a combination of violence, poverty, climate change and human rights abuses. In many situations, migrants and refugees are among the most vulnerable and poor.
Migration can contribute to sustainable development and reduce inequalities, both within and between countries. When migration is managed and people are protected, the risk of exploitation, abuse or victimisation is reduced.
Sida works to find long-term solutions that improve the situation of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons. Strengthening people’s rights is crucial. Refugees should be able to attend school, work and have the right to health care. Improving refugee reception, providing livelihood opportunities and strengthening service sectors, developing statistics, managing labour migration and strengthening the judicial sector are other areas. Sida also cooperates internationally and contributes to the implementation of global frameworks and agendas that improve the lives of migrants and refugees.
Migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to violence and human trafficking. Children, women, LGBTQI people, and ethnic minorities as well as stateless and undocumented migrants are particularly vulnerable and affected.
Many refugees have limited access to education, livelihoods, social protection and health care. Internally displaced people are also hard hit. Sida works to strengthen the rights of migrants and refugees. In this way, experience and knowledge can be more easily harnessed and both individuals and society can develop.
Migrant workers often have low wages, poor conditions and have their rights violated. The Enhancing Corporate Responsibility in Eliminating Slavery and Trafficking in Asia (CREST) project is implemented by the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM). The aim is for Asian companies to recruit migrant workers in an ethical way and to prevent exploitation, abuse and indebtedness.
In low-income countries, less than half of refugee children attend school.5 Sida works to ensure that migrants and refugees have access to education by supporting increased coordination and strengthened systems. In cooperation with UN organisations such as UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education, Sida is helping to ensure that more migrants and refugees have access to education.
Many refugees do not automatically have access to public services, such as health care. Sida supports the work of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Africa. The IGAD integrates refugees into national action plans that, for example, give them access to the health care system, which is particularly important in the context of COVID-19.
Uganda is home to 1.5 million refugees.6 Sida supports literacy, water access and the reduction of gender-based violence in areas with large numbers of refugees from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The initiative has helped 14,500 people in the area access clean water.
Migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons are often not reflected in statistics or development plans of countries and societies. Sida supports projects that develop statistics, manage labour migration, improve refugee reception and strengthen the judicial sector.
Many countries have a limited capacity to manage safe, orderly and regulated migration. The Swedish Migration Agency has contributed to building asylum capacity in Turkey and Serbia. In sub-Saharan Africa, Sida supports the strengthening of the African Union’s (AU) capacity to manage labour migration on the continent.
The refugee crisis in Syria is the largest in the world, with nearly 5.7 million forced to flee to neighbouring Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.7
Through the RESLOG project – a collaboration between the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) and municipalities in Syria’s neighbouring countries – the needs of refugees are taken into account in municipal budget planning. This has contributed to improved access to public services for refugees. Migration management institutions have been strengthened and migration management plans have been implemented in twelve municipalities in the region.
Uganda is the country in Africa that receives the most refugees.8 Through the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), Sida is strengthening the capacity of Ugandan authorities to implement the national refugee response plan. The guidelines for the municipalities’ development plans and action plans have evolved thanks to the project and now include risk, resilience and environment as important aspects in the reception of refugees.
Without statistics and data, it is difficult for many countries to plan and adapt their resources to the number of migrants. Sida contributes to the development of migration data and the production of reliable statistics on the number of migrant labourers in African countries through cooperation with Statistics Sweden (SBC), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) and the Pan-African Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC).
Another example is support to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), which collects and compiles quality-assured data and analysis on internal displacement, which can then be used to prevent involuntary displacement in the future and improve the living conditions of IDPs.
The number of global refugees is increasing while long-term solutions remain elusive.9 Sida is increasingly working in vulnerable and conflict-affected countries and areas to or from which large numbers have been forced to flee. This is a long-term effort focused on finding solutions to integrate refugees into countries’ systems, access basic social services such as banking and health care and find livelihoods. Reducing negative environmental impacts in areas hosting refugees is another important area of work.
For the sake of the climate and humanity’s future, energy must be renewable. Through the UNHCR’s Green Fund project, Sida is helping to increase the use of fossil-free energy in humanitarian operations in refugee situations.
In Rwanda, the financial and banking sectors are severely restricted, making it difficult for people to manage money, save and invest. Sida supports Access to Finance Rwanda, which among other things works to stimulate the development of the financial sector and at the same time contribute to increased access to financial services among households in poverty, women, young people and refugees in Rwanda.
In Uganda, only 26% of the population has access to the internet and, for refugees, access is much more limited.10 Through Sida’s support to the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era project, refugees in Uganda have access to digital financial services. This will help them improve their professional skills, increase productivity and sales and thus become more involved in the local economy, mainly in agriculture, health and education.
About the Leaving No One Behind in the Digital Era project (UNCDF website)
In 2021, Sida disbursed a total of SEK 156 million in the thematic area of migration and development. This is equivalent to 1% of Sida’s budget.
- Causes of displacement globally in the World Migration Report 2022 (IOM website)
- Statistics on refugees fleeing to neighbouring low-income countries (UNHCR website)
- Facts on the vulnerability of migrants and refugees (UNHCR website)
- Global refugee statistics 2021 (UNHCR website)
- Percentage of refugee children attending school (UNHCR website)
- Statistics on the number of refugees in Uganda (UNHCR website)
- Statistics on the number of refugees from Syria (Syrian Refugees Appeal website)
- Refugee statistics in Uganda (UNHCR website)
- Statistics on the number of refugees (UNHCR website)
- Statistics on internet access in Uganda (Dataportals website)
Updated: August 9, 2022