The health of refugees and migrants bridges the spheres of human rights, public health, humanitarian assistance and development:

• migrants are human-beings and have a right to health;
• migrant-inclusive health systems improve public and global health outcomes for all;
• saving lives, reducing mortality and morbidity and creating better health systems for both the migrants and the hosting communities are key tenets in the context of displacement and humanitarian crises; and
• healthy migrants are better able to contribute to positive and sustainable development outcomes.

The adoption of inclusive health policies in relations to refugees and migrants has not been universal; in most countries, the level of access to health care for refugees and migrants is determined by factors such as their status; national migration policies; societal values; and their capability in overcoming linguistic, cultural, economic and social barriers. A further determinant is the capacity of the health sector to produce evidence for and advocate for the adoption of adequate public health responses to the growing and changing reality of modern migration, which is a global megatrend. Additionally, migration places individuals in situations that may impact their physical and mental well-being; this is particularly true for those who are forced to flee natural or man-made disasters (whether across borders or within their own country), those in an irregular situation and those with particular vulnerabilities and health and protection needs.

Although comprehensive data sources on refugee and migrant health are scant, and often systematic disaggregation of health data as a function of migratory status is lacking, there are converging views in the available literature. These views identify recurring areas of concern in relation to migration and health outcomes, particularly infectious diseases, noncommunicable diseases, trauma and mental health; gender- and age-specific factors of vulnerability are also identified. Some studies have shown that migrants frequently experience poorer health and a lower average life expectancy than that of the general population and have increased infant/child mortality and lower reproductive health, ineffective access to health services (over- or underuse, or both) and a higher risk of being insufficiently treated by health services.

Since 1948 a series of international human rights treaties have been adopted and ratified by Member States to give legal form to the inherent human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and these have further expanded and developed the international human rights framework. The nine core international human rights treaties apply to everyone without discrimination (UNHCR, 2020):

• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965);
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966);
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966);
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979);
• Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984);
• Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989);
• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990);
• International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006);
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2007).