Morocco: A groundbreaking study on the integration of migrant women and minors

Ya Biladi

27-05-2025

The result of several years of research, the collective work Women and Minors in Migration – Journeys, Resistance, Integration has just been published by La Croisée des chemins, in partnership with the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME). Coordinated by Fatima Ait Ben Lmadani and Hicham Hafid, the book explores «a little-known reality in Morocco, despite the debates—and even stigmatization—it provokes beyond our borders».
With contributions from Rachid Benlabbah, Khalid Chegraoui, and El Mouassaoui El Ajlaoui, the book examines «the impact of Morocco's immigration policy on reducing the vulnerability of Sub-Saharan women and minors and facilitating their integration into Moroccan society». The authors address issues such as housing, employment, healthcare, education, and cultural rights, as highlighted by the publisher and the coordinators.
The book also delves into «the role of both institutional and non-institutional actors, with a focus on how Sub-Saharan migrants navigate integration mechanisms and assert their capacity to negotiate». What sets this study apart is its long-term perspective, a deliberate choice that enabled the researchers to «closely track this population, the evolution of their needs, and the public authorities' responses over time».
In other words, the authors seek to explore «the integration process of women and minors through the lens of migrants as active participants in shaping these policies». This focus builds on the findings of a previous study by the research group on the regularization of Sub-Saharan migrants.
The study combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches, including «individual interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires conducted along the Casablanca–Rabat–Salé and Tangier–Nador–Oujda corridors». This is further complemented by an analysis of legal and administrative documents, as well as «statistical, demographic, and economic data».