Contents 1. Message from the Commissioner....................................................................................................................................................7 2. Executive summary ............................................................................................................................................................................8 3. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................................................9 4. Background – Women in immigration detention....................................................................................................................... 11 5. Inspection methodology ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 6. Relevant human rights standards.................................................................................................................................................20 7. Issues and concerns impacting women across the detention network.............................................................................. 21 Detention as a last resort...................................................................................................................................................................................21 Meaningful activity..............................................................................................................................................................................................22 Use of operational quarantine........................................................................................................................................................................26 Gender-responsive training and staffing...................................................................................................................................................28 Access to visitors and visiting facility conditions....................................................................................................................................31 The placement and care of transgender women.................................................................................................................................. 36 Women’s health ...................................................................................................................................................................................................39 Access to hair dye ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 8. Melbourne Immigration Detention Centre and Broadmeadows Residential Precinct................................................... 43 9. Centre specific issues and concerns............................................................................................................................................ 47 Mixed gender accommodation......................................................................................................................................................................47 Access to the canteen and gymnasium.................................................................................................................................................... 49 10. Villawood Immigration Detention Centre................................................................................................................................... 51 11. Centre specific issues and concerns............................................................................................................................................ 55 Proximity to the Lachlan compound and women’s safety.................................................................................................................55 High care accommodation in men’s compounds.................................................................................................................................. 60 Other accommodation concerns..................................................................................................................................................................63 Inequitable access to facilities and services............................................................................................................................................ 64 12. Perth Immigration Detention Centre........................................................................................................................................... 66 Not suitable for long-term accommodation........................................................................................................................................... 68 13. Recommendations........................................................................................................................................................................... 70 Glossary of immigration detention related terms ..........................................................................................................................77 Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................................................................................79