Husbands’ Labour Migration and Wives’ Autonomy

Labour migration leads to significant changes in origin areas. The separation of migrants from the family unit, whether it is nuclear or extended, has profound implications for family organization and for individual family members. We examined the relationship between men’s labour migration and the decision-making autonomy of women who stay behind. The data for our analyses came from a 2006 survey of 1680 married women from 56 rural villages in southern Mozambique. We find that both men’s cumulative migration history and current migration status are positively associated with women’s autonomy. The results suggest that the impact of men’s labour migration on women’s autonomy may persist even after the man’s return. Three intervening factors — women’s employment outside the home, lower fertility, and residential independence from extended family members—did not fully mediate the effects of men’s labour migration. This is consistent with a “direct” impact of men’s absence on women’s autonomy.