From December 13th, 2012, to January 6th, 2013, a subject book exhibition “Migration in the epoch of global changes” timed to the International Migrant Day runs in the Documents of international organizations reading room (room 207g).

This Day was proclaimed at the 55th session of the UN General Assembly on December 4th, 2000 (resolution 55/93) and is observed annually on December 18th. This date was chosen in memory of the adoption of the UN International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (resolution 45/158) in 1990. This Convention ratified by 45 countries is the comprehensive program of migrants’ rights protection.

International migration is one of the basic distinctive features of our promptly varying world. Globalization in combination with growing distinctions in living conditions both inside of the states and between the states leads to the increase of migration all over the world. Migration touches practically each state – either a country of origin or a country of transit or destination. In 2009 outside a country of origin lived approximately 214 million person, or 3 percent of the world’s population.

For last years many various opinions concerning migration have appeared in the world community. In many circles it is considered that migration creates numerous problems. Migrants are accused that they are burden for host countries. However it is far from being the truth. Actually migrants make a huge contribution to the life of host countries. As workers they introduce their skills. As businessmen they create workplaces. As investors they bring capitals. In developed countries and countries with developed market economy they play an irreplaceable role in the field of agriculture, tourism and in house economy. Migrants promote economic growth and development of human resources: they enrich society owing to the cultural variety and the exchange of knowledge and technologies, improve demographic balance in conditions of the ageing of population.

However, if for ones migration is a positive and stimulating factor, many others bear the infringements of human rights facing discrimination, exploitation and maltreatment. Migrants often become objects to hatred, prosecution and violence. They are often wrongly accused of crime outburst and economic difficulties.

Considering a big and escalating number of migrants in the world, the United Nations have called the world community to coordinated actions in the sphere of migration. In 1989, on the basis of the Intergovernmental Committee on Migration, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) was created, and in 2003 the Global Commission on International Migration was established. In 2006, the UN General Assembly held the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development. The forum showed the aspiration of the world community to study the interrelation and the complementary character of international migration and development with the purpose of revealing the ways and means of maximal use of advantages of international migration and minimizing its negative consequences.

The offered exhibition presents about 60 documents of international organizations (the United Nations, IОМ, OSCE, ILO, the European Union). These are books, periodicals, mimeographed materials of the United Nations in Russian, German and English languages.

The exposition includes the subject sections as follow:

International migration and migratory rights.
The scope and dynamics of international migration.
Migration policy and cooperation in the field of migration.
International labor migration.
Migration in the Republic of Belarus.

The exhibition will be interesting to specialists in the field of international relations, lawyers, political scientists, research workers, university professors and students and everyone who is interested in modern theories and problems of migration.

Useful links

Documents

Migration in the epoch of global changes

Informational resources

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