In the ongoing debate over refugees, we hear from everyone -- from politicians who pledge border controls to citizens who fear they'll lose their jobs -- everyone, that is, except migrants themselves. Why are they coming? Journalist and TED Fellow Yasin Kakande explains what compelled him and many others to flee their homelands, urging a more open discussion and a new perspective. Because humanity's story, he reminds us, is a story of migration: "There are no restrictions that could ever be so rigorous to stop the wave of migration that has determined our human history," he says.

Yasin Kakande: What's missing in the global debate over refugees

What's missing in the global debate over refugees

Migrants' voices are crucial in debates on immigration, yet often unheard; their stories embody the human aspect of migration.

Global dependence on migrants in hazardous jobs and the stark choices they face highlight systemic inequality and exploitation.

Addressing root causes of migration like exploitation and global inequality is essential for a just global economy in the 21st century.