Women

There can be strong obligations on women from some cultures to provide care in the home for older and disabled family members and children. In such circumstances, these women may not have adequate support themselves or be familiar with or willing to utilise the government services available to assist them. Increased awareness of support options and alternative care arrangements is important.

Community feedback raised the issue of caring for family members impacting significantly on time available for some women to undertake English language classes or employment activities. This can ultimately decrease migrant women’s economic participation in the community. Flexibility in English language programs and employment options can be critical for many women.

Employment and workplace issues

Racial and religious discrimination remain key community concerns. There can be a complex interplay of discrimination based on race, gender and sometimes disability. For example, some Muslim women report feeling harassed and discriminated against in the workplace because they wear the hijab. Women in regional areas reported feeling greater vulnerability since they perceive difficulties in preserving their anonymity if they complain. Knowledge of where to go for information and assistance on issues women face in the workplace is regarded as valuable support.

Migrant women’s frequent lack of confidence and experience in job-seeking and negotiating work agreements were other workforce participation issues that were reported. Having overseas qualifications recognised is also a major issue according to some advocates. Additional education and training is often required to gain formal recognition of overseas qualifications and this can compete with settlement priorities such as English language classes, finding accommodation and employment. It was also felt that there is often insufficient acknowledgement by government agencies of the major pressures on refugee women in the initial stages of settlement.
In addition to the challenges generally experienced by many newly arrived migrants, such as limited English, an inability to drive and lack of understanding of the public transport system, women also experience additional stresses associated with supporting other family members. Culturally appropriate and competent childcare can be crucial to women being able to undertake training or enter the workforce.

Support and sensitivity in relation to women who may be from a rural background, illiterate in their own language or have no prior experience in paid work are also important. Many communities stressed the importance of those assisting with employment making the effort to understand fully what a person can bring to the Australian workforce rather than guiding them into the first available low skilled job.

Family support

After migrating to Australia, some women spend several years isolated from the broader community at home in full-time care of their families. Finding paid employment after this can be an overwhelming experience. Programs that support women in transition from full-time homemaker to outside employment can be very helpful if they recognise the value of women’s diverse backgrounds and take into account their levels of familiarity with the broader community.

Furthermore, in some communities where the man is traditionally responsible for the sole income, major relationship stresses can emerge when a woman enters into paid employment. Some families may benefit from support to help adjust to the changed role of women after arrival in Australia.

Police and legal system

Community feedback emphasised the need for cultural knowledge and sensitivity in the police and legal systems, particularly in the area of family violence and child protection. All women, including those newly arrived in Australia and from small and emerging communities, should be able to gain access to the family law system and related resources.

Risks for disclosing violence can be greater in some communities. Some women distrust the police and the justice system due to experiences prior to coming to Australia, fear of possible retribution or lack of confidence in the outcome. Policing and legal systems need to develop effective strategies for engaging and communicating with women and families about these issues.

Financial skills

Information resources in community languages on financial institutions and government income-support agencies are valued resources for women who lack familiarity with Australian systems and do not have strong community networks to support them. Women newly arrived in Australia or from small and emerging communities face significant challenges in this regard. Refugee women in particular can face barriers to attaining financial literacy. They may have lived in refugee camps for many years, have had little and interrupted schooling or lack basic literacy and numeracy in their own language.

Health

Culturally, religiously and linguistically responsive healthcare is reported as a major issue for women. Access to and equity in health promotion programs, such as breast screening and pap tests, are important for all women in both regional and metropolitan areas. Women sometimes avoid seeking crucial medical assistance for themselves and their children because their local medical services do not have a female doctor available or do not provide appropriate language and interpreting support.

Women who have been victims of people-trafficking are extremely vulnerable to marginalisation and require expert support. The availability of support from culturally sensitive professionals who have experience in dealing with sexual assault victims is important for these women if they are to gain the confidence to access broader services and programs and build a new life in Australia.

Leadership

The community organisations consulted report that mentoring and leadership programs are particularly helpful in building self-confidence and social connections. They promote greater awareness of services and, importantly, how to influence the design of services to better suit all women.