IFMSA policy document - Migrants' Health

Introduction According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), migration is defined as the movement of a person or a group of persons, either across an international border, or within a State. It is a population movement, encompassing any kind of movement of people, whatever its length, composition and causes; it includes migration of refugees, displaced persons, economic migrants, and persons moving for other purposes, including family reunification. People on the move are often denied basic human rights, including access to social and health services. Those rights are universal and as such, should be respected and granted regardless of the individual’s legal status.