Berlin/Geneva, 08 April – Only half of the countries worldwide assessed in a new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) grant access to government-funded health services to all migrants.The findings show that migrant inclusion and access to basic services is uneven and remains a global challenge. The Organization encourages States to intensify efforts to improve access to health and other services through a people-centred approach that engages the whole-of-government. “More people can access essential health services today than ever before, but many migrants still go without. Access to health services is a fundamental human right to all people regardless of their status, colour, sex, language, religion, and national or social origins,” said IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels. “This year is an opportunity to stand up and make progress through impactful health policies and services for all. The Migration Governance Indicators initiative shines a spotlight on the way forward.”The report, by IOM’s Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) initiative, offers key findings and recommendations in shaping migration policies – including migrant access to services – based on data from 100 national and 69 local-level assessments conducted between 2016 and 2023. Access to services, such as health and education, is a key indicator of policies that promote migrants’ rights and equal opportunity. Yet, the range of legal access to these services in countries around the world varies widely. For example, 18 per cent of the assessed countries in Europe legally enshrine the right to access health services, compared to 70 per cent of the countries assessed in the Americas.