International Migration Law: Developing Paradigms and Key Challenges

FOREWORD The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration worldwide by serving the policy and programme needs of governments and migrants. The challenges of migration management reflect the contemporary challenges posed by migration itself, many of which can be turned into opportunities that can benefit countries of origin, countries of d- tination and migrants themselves. To be effectively managed, migration has to be looked at comprehensively, taking into account its economic, social, humanit- ian, demographic, development, security and normative aspects. The normative approach to migration can be viewed mainly from two dif ferent, but complementary angles. Firstly, there are the principles and standards deriving from State sovereignty, among which are the right to protect borders, to confer nationality, to admit and expel foreigners, to combat trafficking and smuggling and to safeguard national security. Secondly, there are the human rights of the persons involved in migration. These two elements constitute the main pillars of what is generally known and accepted today as ‘international migration law’.