The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Regional research agenda on health, migration and displacement in the WHO Western Pacific Region, with a focus on climate change. The launch brought together experts from WHO, United Nations agencies, academia, civil society organizations and migrant youth networks to discuss how stronger evidence can support more inclusive, resilient and climate-responsive health systems across the region
Addressing an urgent and growing need
The Western Pacific Region is home to a large and growing migrant population. Migration and displacement influence the social determinants of health, access to health services and overall well-being, challenged exacerbated by climate change
“Migration, displacement and climate change are increasingly shaping health outcomes across the Western Pacific Region. Yet important evidence gaps continue to limit our ability to design effective and equitable responses,” said Dr Santino Severoni, Head of WHO Health and Migration
Setting research priorities for the next five years
The research agenda aims to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking, build regional research capacity and foster greater collaboration across sectors. It was developed through a multistage process involving interdisciplinary and multisectoral stakeholders, involving 108 participants from across the Pacific and Asian subregions to identify the most pressing and actionable research priorities. Research themes identified included inclusive universal health coverage (UHC) and primary health care; the inclusion of migrants and displaced populations in preparedness and response to health emergencies; multisectoral research on the social, economic, environmental and structural determinants of health; and health, migration and displacement in the context of climate change.
The agenda also identified two cross-cutting priorities: strengthening evidence on under-researched migrant and displaced populations, and promoting equitable and inclusive research partnerships that support knowledge translation and policy uptake
From evidence generation to implementation
Panelists highlighted the need for stronger governance, sustainable financing, migration-sensitive data systems, and closer collaboration among researchers, policymakers and affected communities. Speakers also focused on the need to address migration, displacement and climate change through a broader health equity lens, recognizing the social, economic, environmental and legal factors that shape health outcomes
The panel collectively stressed the need to move beyond documenting challenges, towards identifying, testing and scaling solutions. In addition, they emphasized the importance of implementation research, stronger research-to-policy mechanisms, and meaningful engagement of migrants, displaced populations and young people as partners in shaping research priorities and solutions
A roadmap for action
To support implementation, the research agenda includes dedicated roadmaps for the Pacific and Asia subregions, helping countries adapt priorities to their specific contexts while strengthening research capacity, governance and policy uptake. Priority action areas include: strengthening research governance, leadership and stewardship; improving migration-sensitive data systems and knowledge exchange; securing sustainable and flexible funding; translating research into policy and practice; and building research capacity and strengthening intersectoral collaboration, including the integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge.
“Climate change, migration, displacement and health can no longer be considered separate issues. Across the Western Pacific Region, their impacts are increasingly visible in communities and health systems. This agenda provides an important foundation for generating the evidence needed to inform equitable and effective responses,” said Dr Sandro Demaio, Director and Head of Office of the WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health
