Global Center for Migration & Development

About GCMD

A Global Platform for Migration & Development

The Global Center for Migration & Development (GCMD) is a pioneering research, advocacy, and policy institution dedicated to addressing global migration challenges and advancing sustainable development. Established by Minhaj University, Lahore, GCMD is the first initiative of its kind by any university in Pakistan, creating a global forum for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to collaborate on innovative, evidence-based solutions.

Research-driven policy development
Global collaboration on migration issues
Advocacy for safe, legal, and dignified migration

Prof. Dr. Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri

Founder & Visionary

Our Focus Areas

Key Areas of Work

Migration & Development

Examining how migration contributes to economic growth, social cohesion, and innovation.

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Climate-Induced Migration

Analyzing the impact of climate change on displacement and proposing longer term solutions.

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Irregular Migration & Human Trafficking

Developing strategies to combat trafficking and protect vulnerable migrants, raising awareness, door to door camping for adopting illegal paths for migration.

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Diaspora Engagement

Leveraging the skills and resources of migrant communities for development.

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Migration and Displacement

Maximizing migration's development benefits amid displacement challenges.

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Policy & Legal Frameworks

Providing evidence-based recommendations for national and international intuitions for policy making.

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Our Impact

Expected Outcomes

Improved Migration Governance

Improved migration governance at national and international levels.

Enhanced Migrant Protection

Enhanced protection and integration of migrants.

Informed Policymaking

Greater awareness and informed policymaking on migration issues.

Linkages with SDGs

Stronger linkages between migration and sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Migration Data

Better data → better migration policy.

Significant data gaps in migration flows, stocks, skills, and impacts hinder evidence-based policy and development outcomes.

Measuring migration’s impact goes beyond headcounts: it includes remittances, poverty reduction, inequality, fiscal effects, brain gain, diaspora links, and productivity gains, requiring disaggregated and skill levels to enable effective.

2024 remittances: $860B globally, $685B to developing countries — 3× ODA, mostly digital, cost still 6.2%.

Vision & Mission

Knowledge Transfer and Research

Fill the gap of Knowledge transfer and understating the regional trends towards migration, inequality and delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Capacity Building

Organizing trainings, workshops, conference for transfer of knowledge and capacity building to regularize the safe and legal migration.

Exchange and Collaborative Opportunities

Exploring the international linkages and collaborations for research, joint projects in academia.

Our Guiding Vision

To create a world where migration is safe, orderly, and beneficial for both migrants and host communities.

Structure & Governance

Governed by Global Experts

GCMD will operate as an independent body, non-partisan entity governed by national and international Board of Directors comprising experts from migration, various think tanks, governmental and non-governmental institutions, academics and policy makers.

Independent Governance

100%

Global Representation

100%

A global platform for migration governance.

Expected Impact