E/2006/27 E/CN.6/2006/15 10. In some countries, evidence suggested that men migrants remitted more than women because their earnings were higher. In other cases, however, women tended to remit more because the ratio of migrant women to men was higher. Women tended to be the main receivers of remittances and generally invested in education and health care for their children. Both senders and recipients of remittances faced major constraints in having access to financial institutions. Banks and other financial institutions should improve their services. Further research on gender and remittances was needed. 11. Countries of origin and countries of destination both shared responsibility for the welfare of migrant women. The need for awarenessraising on the contributions of women migrants in destination countries was highlighted. The contributions, while significant, often remained invisible because of the concentration of female migrant workers in the private sphere. The importance of fostering greater sensitivity to the diversity of cultures among migrants was also raised. 12. Attention was drawn to the need to address the social challenges related to migration in countries of destination and the need to link the social and economic aspects of migration. Migrant women themselves could play a key role in addressing social challenges. The important contribution of diaspora communities in providing support to migrant women, including in relation to integration into destination countries, was highlighted. Migrant associations and migrant non-governmental organizations could play an important role in addressing the challenges of migration. 13. Trafficking was recognized as a development issue that cut across the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the goals on poverty eradication and gender equality and the empowerment of women. The majority of trafficked women came from low-income, socially deprived circumstances, mostly in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. In countries without comprehensive social security systems, women became vulnerable to trafficking and often ended up in unregulated labour sectors. 14. The forced absence of women through trafficking led to the breakdown of families, the neglect of children and the elderly, and negative impacts on health and education. Trafficking could force children into work, denying them education and reinforcing the illiteracy and poverty cycles that hindered development efforts. It could have a negative impact on public health services, including upon the return of victims of trafficking. It was noted that such impacts of trafficking had been researched inadequately and indicators to measure effectively the impacts on families were lacking. 15. It was recommended that organizations focusing on migration, including the International Organization for Migration, investigate the causes of trafficking and develop comprehensive indicators for cross-country analyses. Models for assessing trafficking flows, identifying early warning signals and assessing the impact of trafficking on countries of origin, including costs to public health systems, were needed. Evaluations of counter-trafficking programmes should include analyses of labour market factors and the role of recruiters. The need for effective legal measures to address trafficking in women and girls, as well as for cross-border collaboration, including on monitoring and prosecution, was also highlighted. 3