Decisions in Motion: Rural Women's Labor Migration in Morocco.

The progressive impoverishment of rural areas in Morocco largely contributed to enhancing internal migration flows, typically framed as a male-driven phenomenon due to the perception of women as guardians of the domestic economy. Yet, rural migration is both common and significant, though often overlooked, among women who migrate to pursue employment opportunities frequently tied to agricultural and informal labor markets. Based on a sociological study conducted among migrant women working as farmworkers in the agricultural production systems and food chains within two agricultural regions in Morocco, this paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the transformative potential of agricultural labor migration as a means of socio-economic empowerment for rural women. By shedding light on women’s migration decision-making processes, the research findings reveal that although family dynamics, social norms, and community expectations heavily influence their decisions, women’s active involvement in organizing their migration spurred a reconfiguration of traditional power relations within rural families, as women take on breadwinning roles through their paid agricultural work. These rural women use both social constraints and opportunities within the patriarchal system to enhance their autonomy and assert their agency. Rural women’s labor migration serves as a pathway to renegotiate their status, make choices about their livelihoods, and achieve their empowerment.