Globalization has brought about a widespread phenomenon of internal and international migration in the Asian and Pacific region and this has presented numerous challenges to most countries in the region and their populations. Although migration is perceived to have varied impacts on social and economic developments, there is currently a lack of adequate, reliable and timely data on how to formulate effective policies and programmes at the national level.
An expert group meeting (EGM) on migration and development is being organized by the Emerging Social Issues Division of UNESCAP. It will be held from 27 to 29 August 2003 at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok.

The EGM is aimed at further exploring and understanding the linkages between internal and international migration and development with a particular focus on gender, poverty, and health. Some 14 participants from various countries in the region - Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam - are expected to take part in the three-day meeting.

Three key topics will be on the agenda: gender dimensions of migration; migration, development and poverty; and social, economic and health implications of international migrants and their families.

The EGM is a follow-up to the Fifth Asian and Pacific Population Conference that was held from 11 to 17 December 2002 at Bangkok, and which recommended to “promote research on the interrelationship between migration and other population dynamics, development, poverty reduction and linkages between internal and international migration” and to “support training and inter-country workshops to build national capacity for data collection, analysis and research”.