Diaspora Led DevelopmentTHE POTENTIALITIES OF THE UK BASED DIASPORA

SAADO JIDRE, BSWN.

Who Are The UK Based Diaspora?

2.175 Million people from 24 Commonwealth African and Asian countries

600,000 more people from 16 non-Commonwealth ‘Developing Countries’

Populations of over 100,000 – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Somalia.

Other significant populations (50,000+) – Ghana, Malaysia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. (World Bank, 2013)

50% Male and Female

50% between 24 and 49 years of age. (ONS, 2013)

52% of long-term migrants in UK intend to stay for just 1 – 2 years (2011 Census Data. ONS)

Diaspora Life in the UK

Unemployment rate of BME population at least double White British – Institute of Race Relations

79.8% of immigrant students whose mothers did not receive a GCSE level of education were placed in disadvantaged schools – Education at a Glance, OECD 2013

Black African mothers had a maternal mortality rate in the UK nearly six times that of White women – Migration Observatory Briefing, 2011

11.4% of UK population over 10 were from BME groups but –

32.8% of Stop and Searches by police were of people from a BME group

20.4% of arrests by police were of people from a BME group

28% of the prison population were people from a BME group Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System 2010 –Ministry of Justice

Diaspora contribution to the UK

8% of the UK working population are non-EEA migrants – Labour Force Survey, 2010

9.7% of employees in strategically important sectors are non-EAA Migrants – Labour Force Survey, 2011

52% of these are graduates (38% UK born employees) – Labour Force Survey, 2010

Migrants and refugees made a net contribution of £3 Billion to the UK Economy – Home Office, 2011

Diaspora in UK contribution to ‘home’

UK Remittance Outflow 2012 (US$) – 23.5 Billion.

$13 Billion to the 40 African and Asian Commonwealth countries and other developing countries

India - $4.25 Billion, Nigeria - $3.8 Billion, Pakistan - $1.5 Billion

Bangladesh - $850 Million, Kenya - $490 Million, Sri Lanka - $400 Million, Somalia - $100 Million www.worldbank.org/prospects/migrationandremittances

Diaspora Remittances to home - Global

Total Global Remittances: India - $63 Billion, Nigeria - $20.5 Billion, Pakistan - $14 Billion

Bangladesh - $14 Billion, Sri Lanka - $6 Billion, Somalia - $1.3 Billion, Kenya - $1.2 Billion www.worldbank.org/prospects/migrationandremittances

Social Remittances

Sponsorship of schools, teacher, hospitals, sanitation, and other social services – not coordinated

Knowledge and skills transfer – not coordinated

Business involvement and development – not coordinated

Political engagement – not coordinated

Diaspora involvement in Post 2015 Development Agenda

“Steps could be taken to give Diasporas a more active

voice. These could include involving Diasporas in

international forums to co-ordinate resources flows from

donors and from Diasporas for development and

reconstruction.”. (Nyberg Sørensen, Van Hear and Engberg-Pedersen 2002)

Constraints on Diaspora

The constraints are mainly the lack of capacity of the diaspora

organisations, both institutional and organisational, to transfer

their social remittances more effectively and in a large scale

manner to their countries of origin.

Social Remittances of the African Diasporas in Europe - North-South Centre of the Council of

Europe, 2006

Ways Forward

The establishment of co-development transnational networks

could enhance the transference of remittances. For this reason, it

seems appropriate that governmental institutions should provide

the means for the creation of such networks.

Social Remittances of the African Diasporas in Europe - North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, 2006