EN
The past decades have seen a considerable, albeit uneven, outflow of young population from rural areas, with significantly more women migrating than men. Women that stay, tend to do it on their own terms, refusing to follow in the footsteps of their overworked mothers. Contemporary women who decide to live in the countryside often negotiate their rights and the division of responsibilities with their future husbands before marriage, and then enforce the effective implementation of the agreement. This article outlines the historical background of women’s work in the countryside, seeking to explain the origins, reasons, and consequences of the current dramatic shift in the situation of rural women. Based on studies conducted since the early 21st century in Poland’s region of Podlasie, the author describes changes in the social position of rural women in this area, both in terms of their role in the family and outside, i.e. in the professional and social life. The paper shows how women managed to rise from the status of a largely oppressed group to a frequently more privileged position than that of men.