Processes, policies, and networks supporting the return of women to Tunisia and Morocco
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Abstract
WE-PROPOSE, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as part of the PRIN PNRR 2022 program (December 2023 – November 2025), investigated the processes of return migration of women from Italy to Tunisia and Morocco.
Unlike traditional approaches, which often describe return migration as a failure or the end of a migratory journey, our project aimed to rethink women’s return from a gender and long-term perspective, highlighting its transformative potential for both the women themselves and their communities of origin.
The research team, composed of scholars from LUMSA University, the University of Bologna, and the University of Catania, in collaboration with Hassan II University (Morocco) and the Ministry of Youth (Tunisia), carried out extensive fieldwork in Italy, Tunisia, and Morocco.
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Research objectives
The project pursued four main objectives:
- Analyze migration and return policies in Italy and Europe, with a specific focus on women’s experiences, rights, and access to legal and institutional support.
- Investigate women’s return journeys, highlighting how migration influences socio-economic empowerment, professional growth, and personal autonomy.
- Supporting female entrepreneurship through the development of training activities for inclusive and decolonial business incubation, aimed at both women who have returned to Morocco and Tunisia and operators in Italy.
- Map associations and networks that support migrant women in the EU–MENA region, and formulate policy recommendations to strengthen their recognition as key actors in reintegration processes.
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Results
Fieldwork in Tunisia and Morocco
Attraverso 25 interviste semi-strutturate a donne tra i 24 e i 60 anni, rientrate dall’Italia in Marocco e Tunisia, il progetto ha individuato cinque tematiche principali:
- Socio-economic empowerment and entrepreneurship – Many women have invested their savings and skills acquired abroad to start small businesses or find employment. For example, Latifa (43, Morocco) explained: “I started saving as soon as I found a stable job in Italy, which allowed me to start a business when I returned.”
- Culture shock upon return – Women who returned home often faced difficulties reintegrating into more traditional family and social environments after experiencing greater autonomy in Italy. Yasmina (53, Tunisia) said: “Returning to Tunisia was a culture shock; life seemed slower and less free than in Rome.”
- New professional and political opportunities – Some women linked their return to the emergence of opportunities in their countries of origin following the Arab uprisings. Rim (27, Morocco–Italy–Morocco) noted: “Our return coincided with the economic crisis in Europe, but in Morocco I found projects working on family law reform and women’s rights.”
- Mediating between family expectations and independence – Many emphasized that their experience in Italy had fostered independence and new self-confidence. Yasmin (26, Tunisia) said, “Living alone in Italy made me realize that I didn’t need to depend on anyone.”
- Women returning as agents of change – Women have acted as catalysts for community development and gender equality, sharing skills, creating solidarity networks, and participating in local initiatives.
Fieldwork in Italy
The research also conducted interviews with migrant women living in Italy. The results show that many manage to balance their cultural roots with integration into Italian society.
- Living between two worlds
Many migrant women in Italy learn to navigate between their roots and their new life. Language, education, and work become tools for standing on their own two feet, without giving up who they are. - Returning home as a suspended dream
The desire to return to one’s country of origin exists, often accompanied by nostalgia and affection. But it remains a thought linked to conditions of security and well-being that, at the moment, are not always guaranteed. - A choice hampered by invisible obstacles
Returning home is never easy: laws, family dynamics, experiences of violence, and gender expectations all weigh heavily. All this makes returning home more of a distant prospect than a real possibility. - Need to rethink the institutional tools that support return
Women say that Assisted Voluntary Return does not really meet their needs. There is a lack of flexibility, attention to life stages, the presence of children, and the bonds built in Italy. - The importance of the Third Sector network
The network of services organized by associations in Italy, which promotes courses, workshops, and language lessons, are places where many migrant women find skills, opportunities, and relationships. It is increasingly necessary to recognize and strengthen these networks so that they become more solid and can actively participate, with a view to real cooperation, in the travel experiences that migrant women in Italy desire, including in the process of returning to their country of origin.
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Expert consultations
An exploratory survey conducted among experts involved in Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programs has shown that, despite their humanitarian intentions, these programs can, if not well designed, reproduce pre-existing gender and social inequalities, especially when local communities are unable to provide sustainable support to returnees.
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Conclusion
The WE-PROPOSE project has demonstrated that the return migration of women from Italy to Morocco and Tunisia cannot be reduced to a narrative of failure. On the contrary, it should be understood as a complex and multidimensional process, encompassing personal transformation, economic empowerment, political engagement, and community building.
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Publications
- Donato, S.; Corradi, C.; Di Maggio, U. (2025).
Rethinking Women’s Return Migration: Evidence from Tunisia and Morocco.
Societies, 15(7), 180.
Link article here – Open Access available here - Musarò, P., & Peca, S. (2024).
Il ritorno nel paese d’origine: una favola che fa bene al cuore.
AFRICA E MEDITERRANEO, 101, 62-69
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