Supporting Women’s Return to Rural Areas

Abstract

Women returning to rural Romania—often with international work and/or study experience—drive sustainable innovation in local communities. Targeted support through grants, reintegration programs, and peer networks can enhance rural entrepreneurship and development while fostering knowledge exchange between returnees and local women—a key condition for sustainable innovation. This brief proposes dedicated policies to support the return migration of women to rural areas, addressing reintegration barriers and enabling sustainable innovation across ecological, social, and cultural dimensions.