Fatal Journeys: Tracking Lives Lost during Migration
1.3.1 Challenges concerning comparability Over the past two decades, various organizations have been working to track migrant fatalities in regions known for high irregular migration flows and dangerous border crossings, including the southern border of the European Union (EU), South-East Asia/Australia and the United States–Mexico border region. Various organizations also report on deaths in other areas, such as crossings of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Many groups collecting data use media as a principal source and quality of information varies by region, with some sources offering detailed information on each recorded death, and others only able to provide rough estimates with little demographic background on the deceased. In some cases, what is known is anecdotal and not compiled or analysed systematically. Furthermore, definitions of what is counted can vary. Some statistics are based on bodies found near the vicinity of the border, while others include both bodies found and reports, generally of survivors, of numbers missing and presumed dead, often the case when counting deaths at sea. Complicating comparisons between sources still further, there is no internationally standardized definition of what constitutes a “border-related death.� Some organizations count only deaths occurring at external borders of States, while others include deaths that occur once in the destination or transit country that can be directly or indirectly attributed to the border control regime, such as deaths of persons in detention. For the purposes of this report, figures compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) correspond to to deaths that occurred at the physical borders of States or during migration towards an international destination. Given various methodologies, as well as differing levels of completeness and reliability of data, it is difficult to compare data across countries and regions. It should also be noted that estimates of migrant deaths include only those cases that are reported, generally by media, government authorities or international organizations. Given that large numbers of deaths occur in remote areas and many are not known of, figures underestimate the extent of migrant fatalities. Furthermore, because of the varying quality and comprehensiveness of data by region, attempts to estimate deaths globally may underrepresent numbers in certain regions, thus exaggerating the share of deaths that occur in others. With these limitations in mind, it is possible to suggest several key findings and trends.
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