Protect rights of migrants: UN

The United Nations called on the international community to protect the rights of migrants and recognise their contributions to society, reported Xinhua.

In his remarks to a high-level dialogue on international migration and development held Thursday by the General Assembly, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety and a better future, proclaiming "it is part of the social fabric, part of our very make-up as a human family".

"It is our collective responsibility to make migration work for the benefit of migrants and countries alike," Ban said.

"We owe this to the millions of migrants who, through their courage, vitality and dreams, help make our societies more prosperous, resilient and diverse," he added.

The UN chief put forward an ambitious eight-point agenda to "make migration work" for all.

Among the suggestions were the needs to protect the human rights of migrants who are frequently the subject of abuse and exploitation, lower the cost of migration, and change public perception of migrants, as many face discrimination on a daily basis.

According to the UN figures, there are 232 million international migrants.

The World Bank released its latest global remittance figures Wednesday, which showed that migrants from developing countries alone are expected to send home $414 billion this year, a 6.3 percent increase from the previous year. The amount of the remittance is projected to rise to $540 billion by 2016.