Glossary on Migration

This 248-page publication compiles definitions of terms on the “conceptual, legal, theoretical or practical” aspects of migration. The Glossary was published on June 18, 2019, by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva, an intergovernmental organisation within the United Nations system. This edition of the Glossary includes new terms – such as ‘climate migration’ and ‘disaster displacement’ – to reflect the evolving discourse around migration. It draws definitions from a range of sources, such as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ Master Glossary of Terms (2006); European Migration Network’s Asylum and Migration Glossary 3.0 (2014); and UNESCO’s Glossary of Migration related Terminology (2013). In curating definitions from these diverse sources, the Glossary attempts to develop and promote “coherent exchange of information” among stakeholders. Each entry in this glossary comprises a term, its definition, a source from which the definition has been gleaned (when not developed by IOM), relational terms to facilitate cross-referencing, and a note for complex definitions. The following are a few selected terms and their (excerpted) definitions which remain especially relevant to the present times: Asylum: The grant, by a State, of protection on its territory to persons outside their country of nationality or habitual residence, who are fleeing persecution or serious harm or for other reasons. Biometrics: Automated means of identifying an individual through the measurement of distinguishing physiological or behavioural traits such as fingerprints, face, iris, retina or ear features...