Dhaka, Nov. 29 -- The UN human rights office has warned that soaring inflation, weak job markets, and shrinking access to basic services are forcing millions of people in South and South-East Asia to migrate out of desperation.

In a new assessment, the office said people across the region are increasingly moving "not by choice, but out of necessity," as poverty, unemployment, fragile public services, and climate pressures undermine their ability to survive at home, according to a UNB report Saturday.

"Migration should be a choice, not a necessity born of desperation," said Cynthia Veliko, head of the OHCHR Regional Office for South-East Asia.

She added that when rights such as decent work, education, and healthcare are out of reach, "p...