In an age of collaborative governance and policymaking, migrant voices are conspicuously absent
This article was written by Salzburg Global Fellows Donghyun Danny Choi, Vera Fonseca, Yoonjin Kim, Antonio Lessa, Pavlos Petidis, Marian Grace Ticzon, and Hideo Tone, all of whom attended the KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative.
Migration has always been a part of human history. Yet the recent surge in cross-border mobility resulting from globalization, climate change, and conflict has elevated its status to one of the key global issues confronting humanity today. According to a report released by the United Nation’s International Organization for Migration in 2022, an estimated 281 million people (or 3.6% of the world’s population) resided in countries other than their country of birth, a 27% increase compared to figures from a decade ago. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees puts the number of forcibly displaced individuals at 108.4 million, slightly more than one-third of whom are cross-border refugees seeking safety outside of their conflict- or disaster-stricken countries.
As the number of migrants arriving at their borders in search of safety, security, and better economic opportunity continue to rise, governments in migrant-receiving countries have been tasked with the responsibility of devising policies to promote the inclusion and integration of migrant communities into the host society.
By all accounts, however, this is a tall order; policymakers are forced to formulate these integration policies against the backdrop of legal and institutional frameworks that are often outdated and ill-equipped to accommodate non-citizens. At the same time, they also face the herculean task of managing a native population and political establishment increasingly suspicious of migrants and apprehensive about the potential negative consequences of immigration.
Furthermore, political leaders at the helm of government often either lack the political will or are fundamentally hostile to investing in bettering the lives of migrant communities. What frequently transpires as a result is a mixture of policy actions that only provide minor improvements to an already hostile status-quo or policies that in reality are assimilationist or downright coercive.
The perils of the prevailing models of integration policymaking
Given these obvious shortcomings, how can we, as a society, strive to improve the design and implementation of integration policy? A key problem in integration policymaking is the conspicuous absence of migrant voices in the policymaking process.
In an era where collaborative governance between public and private stakeholders has become the norm rather than the exception, it is striking to see how infrequently migrant communities themselves are meaningfully involved or consulted in the very process of designing policies intended to address their concerns and needs as they adjust to life in a new society.
A top-down model of policymaking led primarily by non-immigrant policymakers runs the risk of mistaking what members of the native majority “assume” or “believe” migrants would need for what migrants actually need.
Even worse, it can lead to the adoption of policies that coercively impose norms and values that the native majority would prefer that migrant communities espouse. What results are policies that are misaligned—and thus have very little to do—with the demands and preferences of migrant communities.
Bringing migrant voices into the fold: The power of information
So, what to do? A framework that formalizes migrant community participation in integration policymaking would be ideal, though such formalization may require significant time and political commitment, neither of which are in abundant supply. As a complement and temporary substitute for more institutionalized participation, it is vital to leverage the power of information - specifically, information provided by migrant communities themselves.
This information can be collected via surveys completed by migrants on their experiences adapting to life in the host country, the challenges they face during that process (the “migrant journey”), and the specific demands for intervention on an array of related migrant integration issues including access to the labor market, education, citizenship, family, health, political participation, and anti-discrimination.
Where would policymakers collect or gain access to such information? We, Salzburg Global-KFAS Fellows and members of the KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative’s working group on immigration, propose the creation of an integrated data platform that will act as a one-stop shop that assists governments and policymakers in collecting, analyzing, and accessing such data.
Migrant Voices Platform
Data collection
At the core of the idea for the one-stop integrated data platform is the process of collecting data from migrant communities. Capitalizing on the expertise of multiple academic researchers in the subtheme group with expertise in survey design and other qualitative research methods, the data platform will provide advising and consulting to governments and other societal organizations interested in conducting surveys among members of the migrant community.
The data platform will also be able to provide expertise on issues regarding the sampling of migrants, drawing on the expertise of the working group members. Government actors are in a unique position since many countries mandate regularized interactions between either national or local government agencies and migrants. These regularized interactions provide ample opportunity to interact with and collect data on migrant perspectives.
Analysis
One of the other important functions of the data platform would be to provide expert analysis, as well as interactive analysis capabilities, of the data collected among migrant communities. Drawing on expertise of researchers, the data platform will process the data and assist in intuitively analyzing, visualizing, and presenting the data in digestible formats.
The platform will allow for the possibility of over-time analysis for data from within a single country, as well as cross-sectional analyses that allows comparison across data from multiple countries.
Access
The data made available on the platform would be open-access, that is, available to government policymakers, public and private sector stakeholders, as well as the general public to use.
We are not the first to propose an evidence-based approach to policymaking. The Migration Policy Institute Europe has long advocated strongly for the need for evidence-driven integration policy. MIPEX (Migration Integration Policy Index)’s initiative to create a cross-national index of integration policies currently in implementation most closely resembles our approach. However, our proposed data platform is distinctive in that it will provide a platform on policy inputs (migrant perspectives and preferences) that shape policymaking rather than the status of policies themselves.
Challenges and solutions
Implementing an integrated data platform for immigration policymaking comes with its set of challenges. Feasibility, funding, and scalability are key concerns that must be addressed to make this approach viable.
Feasibility
The complexity of migration issues demands a robust and adaptable data platform. Ensuring the feasibility of such a platform involves careful planning, technological infrastructure, and collaboration with experts in the field. Piloting the platform in specific regions can help identify challenges and refine the system before broader implementation.
Funding for survey development and scalability
Developing surveys, collecting data, and maintaining a scalable platform require financial resources. Securing funding from governments, private sector entities, and international organizations is crucial. Highlighting the long-term benefits and the positive impact on societies can attract financial support from stakeholders committed to addressing the challenges of migration.
Political implications and stakeholder engagement
Immigration policies are inherently political, shaped by the ideologies and priorities of governments. Stakeholder engagement plays a pivotal role in influencing political decisions and garnering support for migrant-friendly policies. The Migrant Voices Platform should actively involve three key stakeholders—government agencies, civil society, and international organizations—and work with a common language.
Government agencies must be encouraged to buy into the initiative, recognizing the value of data-driven policymaking in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of immigration policies. The platform can serve as a valuable tool for survey development and sample acquisition, enabling policymakers to gather insights directly from the migrant community.
Civil society, with its advocacy role, can utilize the platform to encourage data use for policy development. By engaging with the data, civil society organizations can contribute to shaping policies that align with human rights principles and social justice.
International organizations can provide financial support and buy-in, leveraging their global influence to encourage other countries to participate in the data-sharing initiative. A collaborative international effort is essential to comprehensively address the challenges faced by migrants, considering the transnational nature of migration.
Ultimately, the formulation of immigration policies that effectively address the challenges faced by migrants requires a holistic and data-driven approach. Stakeholder engagement involving government agencies, civil society, and international organizations, is paramount. By actively involving these stakeholders, the Migrant Voices Platform can attract buy-in, encourage data use for policy development and advocacy, and foster collaboration on an international scale.
While countless challenges exist, with concerted efforts and a commitment to addressing the complexities of migration, the integrated data platform can pave the way for more informed, equitable, and humane immigration policies globally.
This article featured in our digital publication, which includes more coverage from the KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative program on "Uncertain Futures and Connections Reimagined: Connecting Generations".
The KFAS-Salzburg Global Leadership Initiative is a multi-year program that annually brings together an international, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary network of Korean and global thought leaders to create new connections and tackle global challenges.
