Photo: UN

New York (People's Daily) – During Thursday's General Assembly meeting at UN Headquarters, Secretary-General António Guterres presented "Making Migration Work for All," a report focused on maximizing migrant contributions, calling for increased efforts to ensure migrant rights are respected.

Guterres hailed migration as a global phenomenon and added, “It powers economic growth, reduces inequalities, connects diverse societies and helps us ride the demographic waves of population growth and decline.”

Globally, migrants contribute to international development through work and remit back to their home countries. 

Last year, migrants remitted nearly $600 billion, three times the total amount of all development aid. The most effective way to reduce stigmas and abuse directed at migrants would be to erect better pathways of assistance. 

The UN Chief called for an increased focus on the positive aspects of migration, and to use facts, not prejudice, in addressing this challenge.

Guterres also reiterated the important role of all stakeholders – including municipalities, legislatures, civil society, the private sector, regional organizations, the media, academia, and migrants themselves.