Women's Migration to Cities and Their Multifaceted Transformation

ABSTRACT This study examines the economic, social and individual dimensions of empowerment among rural–urban migrant women in Sindh, Pakistan. It explores how migration serves as a catalyst for change, enabling women to shed stifling social norms, achieve financial autonomy and improve their social status. This qualitative research draws on 10 in‐depth interviews, thematically analysed with the support of NVivo, and purposive sampling ensured variation across age, socio‐economic status and reasons for migration. Thematic saturation was realized despite the limited sample, and the findings offer analytical transferability to similar South Asian contexts. The research recognizes necessary transformations in gender roles and households, including increased participation in decision‐making, better economic autonomy and renegotiated household responsibilities, founded upon a broader reconfiguration of traditional gender expectations. Access to formal employment emerged as a key determinant of economic empowerment, leading to increased household contributions and women's self‐esteem. Also recognized in the research are problems related to migration, including logistic difficulties, social loneliness and emotional settlement issues. The findings point to migration as an empowering, enabling and gender‐equalizing process that redefines social roles. The policy implications include the increased availability of vocational training, enhancement of the job placement service, establishment of workplace protections and strengthening of community‐based support networks to enable urban integration for migrant women. Overall, the study contributes to a more differentiated conceptualization of rural–urban migration as a potential for transformation among women and offers context‐specific yet transferable knowledge for informing gender‐sensitive urban migration policies in Pakistan and comparable settings.