UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Since 2014, nearly 70,000 migrants have died or gone missing along land and sea routes, with the true number likely far higher, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Thursday.

In his message on International Migrants Day, observed annually on Dec. 18, Guterres said migration is a powerful driver of progress, lifting economies, connecting cultures, and benefiting countries of origin and destination alike.

"Yet when migration is poorly governed or misrepresented, it can fuel hate and division, endangering the lives of people seeking safety and opportunity," he said, adding that with borders tightening and smugglers and traffickers thriving, "women and children are among the most at risk."

Pointing to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted seven years ago, he said the international community "can and must harness the power of migration to advance sustainable development and build more resilient societies."

"This starts with challenging the narratives that dehumanize migrants, and replacing them with stories of solidarity," Guterres said, calling on the international community to "stand together for the rights of every migrant, and make migration dignified and safe for all."

In December 2000, the UN General Assembly, taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world, proclaimed Dec. 18 as International Migrants Day. ■