annual report - Multicultural Centre for Women's Health

‘’Our work is delivered through, andunderpinned by a heartfelt desire byall concerned, to improve the health ofimmigrant and refugee women in Australia.repa patelchairpersonAustralian Government statistics tell usthat immigrant and refugee women arehealthy when they first settle in Australia.However, after three to five years of settlementin Australia, the health of immigrant andrefugee women deteriorates—as they aresubjected to a number of negative factors,including poor and uncertain workingconditions, and a lack of access to ourhealth care and education systems.Our work is delivered through, andunderpinned by, a heartfelt desire by allconcerned, to improve the health ofimmigrant and refugee women in Australia.This desire was strongly demonstratedby our Staff, Board, and Bilingual HealthEducators (BHEs)—and everyone associatedwith delivering our programs and projectsthis past year. We managed to meet theincrease in demand for our services, despitethe uncertainty about our core recurrentfunding for most of the financial year—a real testament to immigrant and refugeewomen, serving immigrant and refugeewomen. I am very grateful to, and proudof, our staff and all the women involvedin delivering our services which includesour board members who donate their timeso generously.To increase the capacity of immigrantand refugee women, NGOs, and othersto advocate for the improved healthof immigrant and refugee women, inAugust 2010, we launched the Pointsof Departure Advocacy Toolkit, and thePACE Best Practice Guide for LeadershipPrograms for Immigrant and Refugee Women.The Hon. James Merlino MP, Minister forSport, Recreation, Youth Affairs and MinisterAssisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs,launched the Guide and officiated duringthe event’s leadership program graduationceremony. My hope is that these new womenleaders from our immigrant and refugeecommunities are inspired to lead and toadvocate for themselves and other women.In the words of Altun, one of our leadershipgraduates, ‘life is very inspiring I have to dosomething with it ... the situation in the worldpushes you to do something to help others ...to go out and make a difference’.I am also delighted to report that, followinga national review of family planning at thefederal level, the value of our contribution toimmigrant and refugee women’s health hasbeen clearly recognised by the increase in ourcore funding from the Federal Government.As Australia moves towards a new primaryhealth care system, one in which preventionis the cornerstone, the demand for our currentservices will grow, as will the need for us tocoordinate the health promotion activitiesfor immigrant and refugee women on anational scale.I look forward to the coming year, in whichwe will plan for the growth of our servicesand support to ensure the wellbeing ofimmigrant and refugee women. In the pastyear as Chair, I have been constantly amazedand deeply moved at the way women takeinspiration from their stories, to live theirlives and to help others. It is a privilege toserve them in my role as MCWH Boardof Management Chair.repa patelchairperson2