Global Migration Data: Making Sense of the Numbers

The Migration Oxford Podcast

Why does official data tell us so little about migration? Why do some migration statistics seem to clash? How can we shape this “age of migration data” for better? We welcome co-authors of Improving Migration Data for People and the Planet to this latest episode. The global number of international migrants is estimated at 281 million, but surprisingly little is known about the people that make up this figure. Who they are, why and how they decided to migrate, what needs they have and what the impact of their migration is on communities of origin and destination remains to be determined. Quality data is needed to analyse and manage migration flows effectively, but availability of statistics around the world is very limited. Today issues of migration data collection and analysis are more complex than ever before. While calls for better migration data among the international community have gained momentum in recent years, recommended standards are still not consistently applied. How migration is measured varies hugely between countries and governments. Estimates on a global scale are often contested or retracted (the World Bank recently put forward a 184 million estimate to contest the UN’s estimate of 281 million international migrants). Despite more data being collected than ever before, there are many challenges that this brings, including significant risks if there are insufficient safeguards to protect migrants. And it’s not always clear that having more information brings benefits… In this episode of The Migration Oxford Podcast we ask the big questions on global migration data: why do official statistics tell us so little about migration? Why do some migration statistics seem to clash? How can migration data be sustainably and inclusively improved? How can we shape this “age of migration data” for better? Our discussion includes findings from the recent publication Improving Migration Data for People and the Planet (Routledge, London), which contributes to the global discussion about how best to improve the collection, analysis and use of data on international migration whilst protecting the rights and respecting those involved. We welcome Elisa Mosler Vidal, PhD candidate at the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) here at the University of Oxford; and Frank Laczko, former Head of GMDAC and UN migration specialist who now works independently, to this conversation.