Did You Know?
Africa’s population is projected to increase from 1.2 billion in 2017 to 2.5 billion by 2050
Africa’s population is projected to increase from 1.2 billion in 2017 to 2.5 billion by 2050. Africa has a relatively young population.
The age group of 15 to 24 years is projected to almost double in size, from 231 million in 2015 to 461 million by 2050.
The rate of urbanization in Africa is projected to increase from 40 percent in 2015 to 56 percent by 2050’.
Economic Development in Africa Report 2018
Migration In Zambia
The movement of people from their countries whether for economic or crisis related reasons remains a constant and ever-growing phenomenon globally presenting its own opportunities, benefits, challenges and risks.
While well- managed migration remains a huge contributor to global, continental, regional and national sustainable development and growth, migration if not managed well presents challenges ranging from human rights abuses, human trafficking and smuggling in persons and other transitional crimes often leading to global insecurities, risks and in some situations, death.
Migration in Zambia is characterized by regular and irregular migration. In line with the Global Compact on Migration (GCM), the African Union Migration Policy and the Zambia National Migration Policy; the Foundation for Migration Advocacy and Research is committed to contribute to the ‘whole of Government and whole of Society’ approach towards the realization of Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
Zambia Migration Stats
In Zambia, there was a total of 43,867 migrant stock who accounted for 0.4 percent of the total population in 2010 while internal migration was at 16.8 percent. The country is also a host to asylum seekers and refugees. There were 3,719 asylum seekers, 68,383 refugees and 24,315 former refugees as of February, 2021.
Irregular Migration
Zambia experiences movements of persons that take place outside the national laws and regulations governing entry, exit and stay. The movements include human trafficking and smuggling, unlawful border crossing and stay among others. The push factors related to irregular migration are poverty, gender discrimination, unemployment, job insecurity, gender-based violence, orphan hood, fractured family structures, natural disasters and climate change.
The pull factors include improved standards of living, perceived better life, demand for cheap labour, and the low risk and high profit for traffickers and smugglers.
The existing push and pull factors coupled with some barriers to migration foster an increase in irregular migration exposing migrants especially women, unaccompanied and separated children and other vulnerable groups to exploitative working conditions and denying them access to legal and social protection.
Source: The Zambia National Migration Policy