According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are around 1 billion migrants throughout the world. Approximately 258 million of them are international migrants. Additionally, there are over 760 million internal migrants. People migrate from one location to another for many reasons. Some migrants are forced from their homes. Several others move to make a better life for themselves.
According to the UN, about 200 million people migrate to improve the lives of their families back home. These migrants help 800 million family members. They do this by sending remittances, or funds, to family members who have stayed in their home country. Migrants who send remittances create a future hope for their children.
Recent statistics from the Pew Research Center state that in one year, over 148 billion dollars in remittances left the United States. Mexico received the highest amount of remittances, which was over 30 billion dollars. Other countries that received remittances from the United States included:
- China
- India
- Philippines
- Vietnam
- Guatemala
- Nigeria
- El Salvador
- Dominican Republic
- Honduras
- South Korea
In most cases, family members who receive remittances are living in poverty. Remittances greatly help to improve the lives of family members receiving them. This includes improving health, education, housing, and sanitation.
This year’s observance theme focuses on the benefits that digital and financial inclusion bring when linked to remittances in helping remittance families achieve their own SDGs.
IFAD, as custodian of the IDFR, aims at ensuring support of the observance and dissemination of resulting actions in the framework of the decennial #FamilyRemittances Campaign 2020‑2030: Support one billion people reach their own SDGs. In that timeframe, through a spotlight on yearly themes aligned to the global development agenda, the campaign aims at strengthening and guiding stakeholders in focusing on the new trends and priorities that make remittances count more.
The IDFR 2023-24 campaign focuses on promoting digital technologies to enhance financial inclusion in LMICs, and to work towards achieving the cost reduction target of 3% as mentioned in SDG 10.c.
The IDFR and the United Nations commend the determination and resilience of the human spirit as evidenced by migrant workers. Further, the UN calls for governments, the private sector, development organizations and the civil society to promote digital and financial solutions for remittances that foster greater social and economic resilience and inclusion.
International Day of Family Remittances - History.
On June 16th, 2015 the first International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR) took place at the Global Forum on Remittances and Development. The celebration was part of World Expo in Milan, Italy. On June 12th 2018, the UN National Assembly adopted a resolution for an International Day of Family Remittances. The UN called upon the International Fund for Agricultural Development to facilitate the observance of IDFR. This day continues to be held every year on June 16th.
Source: https://nationaldaycalendar.com
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