11 October 2019: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has released a series of publications on migration and displacement, which argue that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development should remain the foundation on which UNDP structures its support to countries and communities on migration and displacement. The publications present UNDP’s “offer” on migration and displacement, including within the context of sustainable development and the SDGs.

UNDP’s migration and displacement approach focuses on: eradicating poverty and keeping people out of poverty (SDG 1); accelerating structural transformations for sustainable development, particularly through innovative solutions that have multiplier effects across the SDGs; and building resilience to crises and shocks to safeguard development gains. In the series of publications, UNDP highlights ways that it: addresses the root causes of displacement and drivers of migration; supports governments to integrate migration and development issues in national and local development plans, particularly for the localization of SDGs; supports refugees, migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities to cope, recover and sustain development gains in crisis and post crisis; and supports governments to create an environment for voluntary return and community-based re/integration. Throughout the publications, UNDP underscores the contributions of this work to progress on leaving no one behind and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).

In the report titled, ‘Promoting Development Approaches to Migration and Displacement,’ UNDP maps specific SDGs to UNDP’s Migration and Displacement Policy and Programming. For example, linking SDG 15 (life on land) to root causes of migration and displacement, the report highlights efforts to address displacement or migration due to desertification and land degradation, and increase migrant/diaspora investment into initiatives addressing land degradation, as possible relevant policy and programme activities. This example also demonstrates ways to mainstream positive contributions of migrants/diaspora.

A publication titled, ‘Safe, Regular, Orderly Migration,’ presents UNDP’s corporate position on the Global Compact for Migration, and describes UNDP’s role in supporting Member States to deliver on the Compact. UNDP has committed to mainstream migration and displacement into national development plans and SDG implementation, and to analyze and address root causes of displacement and drivers of migration. An Annex maps the objectives of the Compact against the SDGs.

The report titled, ‘Key Achievements, Experiences and Lessons Learned,’ showcases UNDP accomplishments and lessons learned on migration and displacement between 2016 and 2018. The report stresses that solutions to migration and displacements are “intrinsically linked to the achievement of the SDGs,” particularly specific SDG targets related to migration, and recommends the international community design and implement projects with a clear contribution to achieving the SDGs at national and local levels. The report states that, in countries where this link is made, governments and the international community “have seen the importance of migration and displacement solutions programmes to sustainable development.” [Publication: Promoting Development Approaches to Migration and Displacement] [Publication: Safe, Regular, Orderly Migration] [Publication: Key Achievements, Experiences and Lessons Learned]