In recent years Algerian women have witnessed major socio–cultural transformations, which have enabled them to undertake new roles and take part in their country’s development. This has not, however, led to their liberation from the hegemony of the patriarchal social system which they continue to resist in a number of ways. In this context, this study views illegal migration (al–harga), which some Algerian women began to undertake as an act of resistance, as a novel form of feminist expression–even in cases where it took on individualistic or family–based characters. The motivations for the departure of these female illegal migrants are many, ranging among economic, cultural, and social factors. They have participated however on the basis that illegal migration aims for a better life in another, more liberated society.

This article was written for the 25th issue of the journal of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, published in 2018, titled “Arab Women’s Mobilisation in Men’s Cities”.