Migrant women, employment and local development

Abstract The paper considers the role of women in the migration flows towards Europe, adopting the transnationalism approach and presents the results of a field research carried out both in an emigration region of Morocco (Chaouia-Ouardigha) and an immigration region of Italy (Lombardy). The migratory flows of women from Morocco are mainly determined by family reunions, a way which is becoming the prevalent model of the contemporary migration processes. Women have a complex role within this ethnic group, which supports the stabilization of the migratory path but also contributes to maintain the links with the cultural traditions of the country of origin and sustains the accumulation of the social and human capital needed to build bridges connecting the immigration context with their homeland. A specific attention has been given to self employment and business creation opportunities as a way for the integration of women in the country of arrival and of local development in the country of origin. Adopting a gender based approach the study considers the issue of the role of migrant women as potential agents of local development, examining the incidence of economic remittances, but also the effects of social remittances, consisting in the influence of the human capital acquired during the migratory process. The role of the institutional and legal framework in Morocco and Italy has been also considered, as well as policies supporting the labor market participation of migrant women and circular migration flows in order to assess the obstacles and opportunities for an active role of women in the labor market and local development.