International Migrants Day
Every year, on 18 December, the United Nations commemorates the human rights and fundamental freedoms of migrants. It also encourages action to support the protection of migrants. It is estimated that there are some 272 million migrant workers, of whom some 41 million are displaced from their homes but are still resident in their own countries.
Photo agency Panos Pictures has focused since 1986 on global social issues and people's role in political and economic developments. On this page: a selection of different Panos photographers and their reports on migrants as a central theme.
Eastern European migrant labourers working to cover a field of crops on a farm between Boston and Spalding, the two electorial districts in the UK that had the highest percentage of 'leave' (the EU) votes during the 2016 referendum.
Migrants in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan has been attracting more and more migrants in recent years. There is a lot of work in construction and agriculture, which attracts workers from neighbouring countries. In this photo a migrant returns with water to the house where he lives with three others. There are many dilapidated summer houses scattered throughout Astana, Kazakhstan, once popular with wealthy city dwellers who were given the space to cultivate large gardens with vegetables. Now there are migrants who work in construction and cannot find another home.
