Gendered Migration Patterns and Social Change in Rural Kyrgyzstan.

This study examines how the feminisation of labour migration in rural Kyrgyzstan, the world's second-most remittance-dependent economy, is influencing community perceptions of gender roles and relations. Based on surveys and interviews in the At-Bashy rayon, findings reveal that while women migrants are valued for their economic contributions through remittances and perceived as adaptable in foreign labour markets, they also face community stigma for departing from traditional roles related to child-rearing and marriage. Migration is linked to shifting household decision-making, increased financial independence for women, and changing attitudes toward divorce, yet patriarchal norms persist, often blaming women for family separations and cultural change. The study highlights the complex, non-linear nature of gender norm transformations amid migration and underscores the importance of including community perspectives in migration and gender research.