UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood No. 43. Impact of Global Migration on the Education of Young Children

April-September 2008

By Leah Adams
Professor Emeritus
Eastern Michigan University

Global migration is at an all-time high. The number of international migrants in industrialized countries more than doubled between 1985 and 2005, affecting both sending and receiving nations around the world. Cities with more than a million foreign-born residents include Sydney, Moscow, London, Hong Kong, Dubai and Chicago. In addition to the migration across national borders, rural to urban migration flows have also become a part of the globalization process. Internal migration rates in recent decades are considered the largest flow of labor out of agriculture in world history. The new arrivals, regardless of their point of origin or destination, may place unprecedented demands on healthcare, social services and education systems. This brief focuses on issues related to the effects of global migration on the education of the young migrants.

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