Developing a Model of Empowerment of Afghan Migrant Women in Rural Areas of Mashhad County

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research-Case Study

Authors

Sakine Ahmadi ¹

Hossein Mokhtari Hashi ²

Narges Vazin ³

¹ Department of Human Geography, University of Isfahan

² Department of Human Geography,, University of Isfahan

³ Department of Tourism,University of Isfahan

10.22067/jgrd.2026.100594.1683

Abstract

Migrant women’s empowerment, particularly within the specific structural context of rural environments, is a multidimensional and complex process influenced by structural, economic, social, and cultural factors. However, the empowerment model of these women and the factors shaping it in rural areas have received limited scholarly attention. Therefore, this study was conducted using a descriptive-analytical, survey-based research design to develop a model of migrant women’s empowerment in the rural areas of Mashhad County. Data were collected through a researcher-developed questionnaire administered to 384 Afghan migrant women residing in the rural areas of Mashhad County. Women's empowerment was examined based on Longwe's five dimensions (welfare, access, consciousness, participation, and control) and the factors influencing it were examined across five groups: individual, psychological, economic, socio-cultural, and political-institutional. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, a one-sample t-test, and structural equation modeling with SmartPLS4. The results showed that migrant women's empowerment is at a low level, and its pattern does not follow the hierarchical sequence expected within Longwe's framework; that is, without achieving adequate welfare and access, women exhibit higher levels of consciousness and control. The structural model results also showed that, after the political-institutional factor was excluded, the remaining four factors (individual, socio-cultural, psychological, and economic) had a positive and significant effect on empowerment, jointly explaining 64.7% of its variance. The individual factor had the strongest effect (path coefficient= 0.338), while the economic factor had the weakest (0.172). Accordingly, the empowerment of migrant women is a multidimensional process, and empowerment policies should simultaneously focus on enhancing education and skills, strengthening social ties, increasing psychological resources, and improving economic opportunities and social participation.

Keywords

Women'

s empowerment, Afghan migrants, Rural areas, Mashhad County, Longwe'

s framework

Subjects

• Planning in urban and rural areas

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