The UN Sustainable Development Goals and Global Compact for Migration: A Philippine Outlook on Migration and Gender Equality

Migration is a “defining feature of our globalized world” (United Nations 2018, p. 2). It affects economic, political, and social development at all levels.

Migration refers to the movement of people across borders triggered by economic, social, political, or environmental factors. Migration could be a poverty reduction tool that benefits individuals, families, and communities alike (Foresti and Hagen-Zanker 2017, p. 2).

The United Nations, in an inclusive process, initiated the drafting of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration (GCM) in 2017. The GCM is the “first, inter-governmentally negotiated agreement” that covers “all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner” (International Organization for Migration 2018). The GCM provides twenty-three objectives for international cooperation to ensure safe and regular migration. It also recognizes that migration could work for all when it occurs in an informed, planned, well-managed way, and when there is cooperation among parties or stakeholders concerned.

The GCM is rooted in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a plan of action that involves the key elements of people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership for the seventeen goals. Overall these two documents call for the implementation of “well-managed migration policies” at the national and international levels to lessen the costs and mobilize the benefits of migration to sustainable development.

With thirteen of the seventeen SDGs relevant to migration and mobility, addressing issues related to these two to achieve their specific targets will have significant impacts on the fulfillment of the other global goals in a broad sense, specifically through the following SDGs: Good Health and Well-being (goal 3), Quality Education (goal 4), Gender Equality (goal 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (goal 8), Reduced Inequalities (goal 10), Sustainable Cities and Communities (goal 11), Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (goal 16), and Global Partnership (goal 17).

This paper shares the principles and goals of the SDGs and GCM whilst recognizing the unique features of Philippine migration. This document contains the following sections:
• Migration in the Philippine Context
• Pillars of Migration
• Strategic Direction

Read the full working paper here or download a PDF copy at this link.