18/11/2025 | 12:45

Karine Moukaddem

(IRES/LIDAM, UCLouvain)

will give a presentation on 

Dreaming Beyond Borders: Aspirations, Networks, and Migration Intentions of Young Women in Lebanon

Abstract

Migration intentions are widely recognized as key precursors to actual migration. Using nationally representative data on 1,500 young women in Lebanon, we examine two stages of migration intention: the desire to migrate and the expectation of doing so. Overall, 41% express a desire to migrate internationally, while 16% expect to realize this desire within five years. Migration desire is more common among women with lower wealth and education, whereas migration expectation is higher among those who are younger, unmarried, and living with their parents. Both outcomes are positively linked to recent adverse shocks. Social exposure also matters: women with family or close friends who intend to migrate—or who have already experienced migration—are significantly more likely to express migration desire and expectation. Finally, we explore how aspirations in education, career, and family relate to migration intentions. Higher educational and career aspirations are strongly associated with a greater desire to migrate, but only aspirations that women expect to achieve—including marriage age aspirations—are linked to migration expectations. Together, these findings highlight how economic conditions, family context, and personal aspirations jointly shape young women’s migration intentions.