Fighting Xenophobia: Migrants Offer Much More Than They Take

There is overwhelming evidence to suggest the positive impact that migrants have on the economies of the countries in which they arrive. A common myth that perpetuates prejudice and discrimination against migrant women, children and men is the idea that they take more away from the host country than they provide. Given the extent to which migrants contribute to the host economy through taxes and supplementing the labor market, they largely overcompensate for what they take away in terms of the host country’s services. Yet with all of the evidence arguing in favor of migrants, xenophobia still seems to be a growing issue among the public.

The OECD Report (2014) states, “In the U.S., evidence shows that skilled immigrants contribute to boosting research and innovation, as well as technological progress, which leads to more jobs.”

With the fears generated from the government and media, countries are unable to see the value that migrants, in particular migrant women, have to contribute to the given host country. A good portion of migrants entering into the U.S., for example, are argued to be a ‘brain waste,' where they are forced into manual labor positions that do not match their capabilities and professional experiences. For example, migrants with PhD’s from their home countries may not be given the recognition they deserve by the given host country and are made to drive taxis for a living. That is not to say that migrants who do manual labor are not contributing in a positive way to these economies as they are filling in for positions that are undesired by the larger public. It is, however, a shame that migrant individuals, who could have a much larger impact on the host country, are not given the recognition and capacity to do so because of their status. 

The Together campaign specifically focuses on generating a global movement of tolerance, solidarity, empathy and protection for all migrants. They look to put real faces and stories at the forefront of the movement so as to humanize the experiences that migrant women, children and men face. Unfortunately, the world’s shifting political climate is contributing to growing instances of xenophobia and discrimination towards migrants. As the climate continues, it is not only up to the larger organizations such as the NGO Committee on Migration but also on individuals to combat this prejudice and discrimination.