The Methodology and Application of a Migration with Dignity Framework

Abstract

The scale of migration is increasing, and while great uncertainty exists in identifying exact numbers, the estimated number of international migrants is already surpassing 2050 projections in the order of 2.6%, or 230 million. As people migrate, they face a number of challenges including exposure to disease and other health threats, violence and assualt, trafficking and unlawful detention. However, of the protections available to migrants, the implementation and realization of these protections and how they impact the individual experiences of migrants and their loss of human rights and dignity rights across the migration cycle, are lacking. In acknowledgement of this, McClain et al. developed a legal and policy framework for Migration with Dignity, which identified six fundamental elements central to the migration experience that can supplement and support the implementation of migrant protections. The framework was built upon the foundational policy of former President of Kiribati, Anote Tong, who understood the climate change was impacting the lives and livelihoods of his people and that in the face of diminishing land area and opportunities, that the Kiribati should have the opportunity to determine when and how they migrate, and that in doing so that they are able to live a life that is equal to or better than the one they left behind. The Migration with Dignity framework offers an opportunity to provide policy and legal options to governments, policy makers, and NGO’s for how to improve to consider the dignity of migrants while they move, and improve the transition of migrants into new settings, while also fostering opportunities for improved livelihoods. However, in order to provide these opportunities, the framework would benefit from additional application of the fundamental elements across different contexts and in different settings. With this in mind, this article provides the necessary methodology for considering the social and legal dimensions of the framework, it also provides examples for how to apply the framework across multiple contexts.