A/72/173 accessible and affordable migration channels and promoting and celebrating diversity. 17. The Special Rapporteur strongly recommends regulating mobility, which would facilitate migration and the control thereof, instead of restricting migration movements through the use of pushbacks, interception and detention. States must move from a zero-tolerance attitude to one of harm reduction, thereby undercutting the criminal organizations responsible for migrant smuggling, addressing the security concerns of States and, ultimately, reducing human suffering and saving lives. If States want to regain control over their borders, migrants should be provided with regular, safe, affordable and accessible mobility channels. 18. In order to regulate mobility effectively, States are required to adopt a whole of-government approach to migration, taking into account all aspects thereof, including all benefits and challenges in terms of economic growth, demographic changes, cultural diversity, social integration, human rights and respect for the rule of law. By taking a long-term strategic approach, States will be better positioned to respond to the significant imminent demographic, economic, social, political and cultural challenges. 19. Political rhetoric on migration most often does not reflect reality, notwithstanding facts and figures to the contrary. Such rhetoric shapes public perceptions of migration. Any attempt to develop an agenda for migration should therefore outline, for populations of all countries and for their politicians, an inspiring narrative of how well-governed mobility could contribute to the prosperity and stability of society. 20. According to United Nations statistics for 2015, approximately 244 million people were living outside their countries of origin worldwide, including almost 20 million refugees. Despite a 41 per cent increase compared with 15 years ago, that figure accounts for only 3.3 per cent of the global population in 2015, against 2.8 per cent in 2000. The rate of migration actually slowed during the period from 2010 to 2015, in contrast to the previous five-year period. Between 2000 and 2015, Asia received the highest number of additional migrants, with a total of 26 million. 2 21. Ageing populations in some regions have caused a shift in demographics, leading to labour shortages. From a purely economic perspective, such demographic shifts will add pressure and impetus to the need to balance labour supply and demand, 3 clearly contradicting the common conception that migrants are “job stealers”. 22. Against the backdrop of a poor economic climate, the rise in nationalist populist parties and the tragic terrorist attacks around the world, xenophobia and hate speech have increased, causing a significant upward trend in negative perceptions of migrants and creating a stumbling block in the development of more efficient evidence- and human rights-based policies. 23. The use of appropriate language and studies, the presentation of facts and policies that favour diversity and the inclusion of migrants are key to facilitating the integration of migrants and their contribution to development and to reducing negative populist representations of migrants. Consequently, States need to develop a long-term, human rights-based strategic vision and narrative on mobility and __________________ 2 3 6/26 See United Nations, International Migrant Stock: The 2015 Revision d ataset. Available from www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates15.shtml. Sudhir Kapadia, “Tracking global trends: how six key developments are shaping the business world”, paper prepared for the India Tax Workshop 2011, November 2011. Available from www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/ITW-2011-Tracking_global_trends/$FILE/ Tracking_global_trends.pdf. 17-12223