Who Helps Women? Job, Family and Social Justice in the Migration Stories of Moroccan and Tunisian Women in MENA Countries

The socio-political shifts of the so-called “Arab Spring” (Castells, 2012), have catalyzed greater recognition within social research (Bouzekraoui & Ferhane, 2017) towards the support networks for women engaged in gender equality in the MENA region (Sadiqi, 2014). These networks, primarily composed of NGOs and civil society associations, are committed to securing the rights and safety of migrants while simultaneously maintaining crucial ties between host and origin countries. This work presents the findings from field research conducted for the Next-Generation EU funded project WePropose, focusing on interviews with 30 migrant women in Italy from Tunisia and Morocco. The data collection - grounded in a qualitative approach within the broader empirical framework of gender migration - illuminated the complexity and heterogeneity of migratory experiences, highlighting the significant challenges posed by linguistic and cultural differences or traumatic memories. Moreove, data underscores the paramount importance of individual economic autonomy and personal security in long-term migratory projects, which include aspirations for social and professional integration. Additionally, the indispensable role of INGOs and civil associations becomes evident in light of the marked differentiation in individual life in terms of agency: while positive experiences of social and professional integration in host countries do not always translate into a desire for changes in the country of origin. These results provoke critical reflections on the resilience and adaptive strategies employed by migrant women within complex and often hostile environments, both in their homelands and host countries. Through the collaboration of NGOs and civil society organizations, these women develop a heightened sense of awareness, though not always with a collective dimension, thereby sometimes interrupting the virtuous cycle of reproducibility of civic engagement. This limitation raises important questions about how to foster a broader sustained commitment to social change, both for the individual and for the collective.