Human migration is the process where individuals enter the boundaries of a country of which they are not citizens with the intention of becoming a permanent resident. Currently, more than 70 million people have been forced out of their native countries owing to problems such as political turmoil, poverty, climate change, unemployment, and developmental projects, creating a massive refugee crisis. However, social conditions reflected in governmental corruption, poverty, environmental degradation, and political turbulence (manifested in endemic terrorism or structural violence) can also provide man-made incentives for voluntary emigration. Despite the numerous hurdles and dangers faced by migrants, the prospect of a better future, extensive opportunities, safety from violence, and availability of jobs, compels many individuals and families to leave their native land.

The Guardian reported that 15 million people have been forced to migrate from their homes due to the construction of an infrastructure and an urban renewal push; this especially affects poor people as their rural neighbourhoods are further industrialised. For example, in the Philippines, The Metro Manila railway project led to the ejection and displacement of an estimated 35,000 families. In Turkey, a 12-year-old Syrian boy named Saddam who lived in an abandoned shop works 12 hours shifts daily for $2 a day. People like Saddam face a Hobson’s choice (taking everything available or leaving it) since their income is not enough to get them smuggled to Europe (costing between $1,000 and $6,000), but their current lifestyles do not sustain their basic necessities.

Similarly, in Eritrea, two thirds of teenagers who are forced into the military are paid 500 nakfa ($10) monthly and are not legally allowed to leave. Strict laws, dictatorship and countless human rights violations have caused one in 50 Eritreans to flee to Europe since 2012. Nine per cent of 400,000 who have escaped, have died or became stranded along the way, and thousands have drowned in the Mediterranean. This statistic shows us that despite the dangers, people are willing to risk their lives in search of better living conditions.

Efforts for urbanisation have led to displacement of lower income families. For example, in Sudan, a 40-year civil war and rapid urbanisation (despite lack of trade, resources and industries) have caused 1.6 million people to be displaced. In 2016, in Juba, the South Sudan capital, a conflict erupted between the president (Salva Kiir) and vice-president (Riek Machar) when Machar was accused of planning a coup. This gory conflict provoked the movement of 185,000 citizens in just one month (July 2016). While urbanisation sparks advances in technology, transportation, communication, it also displaces a lot of people. Urbanisation has also driven globalisation. The nature of migration has been greatly influenced by globalisation. The economies of the world have become more connected, and as a result, the disparity between developed and developing countries has increased. In 1900, the ratio between the income levels of the five richest and five poorest countries of the world was 9:1. Now that ratio is 100:1, which causes an increasing incentive for migration from developing countries to developed countries. In fact, from 2000-2005 developed countries received 13.1 million migrants from developing countries.