International Migrations and "The Right to the City"

Though globalisation has failed to bring down barriers to the free movement of individuals, migration is on the increase, particularly to the cities, including cities of developing countries, and migrants contribute significantly to the local economy. However, where not outright lacking, migration policies are generally inadequate due to the fact that they erroneously assume migrants to be a homogeneous type of population. Due to the absence or inadequacy of targeted policies geared to their integration, international migrants are often denied access to urban services, are frequently excluded from the available urban opportunities, and nearly never have a voice in decision-making. This raises the essential issue of the ‘Right to the City’, or the right to access the benefits the city has to offer and how it can be achieved.