World migration report 2011 : Communicating effectively about migration

The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. [...] On the occasion of IOM’s 60th Anniversary in 2011, Part B of the World Migration Report 2011 offers a historical overview of how the organization’s conception of migration and its migration management activities have evolved in response to the significant political, economic and social changes that have occurred since the end of the Cold War. [...] One of the most consistent findings is the over-estimation of the absolute numbers of migrants in a given country/region or of the proportion of the population that migrants represent. [...] Opinions are also shaped by factors such as the length of time the migrant is abroad, the impact on the community or family left behind, the economic situation of the home country, and an understanding of the migration process or the migrants’ experience abroad. [...] The limited use of evidence in migration policymaking (or the misuse of evidence for political purposes) and the lack of evaluation of the impact of migration policies can also mean that any policy failures are more easily attributed to the migrants themselves.