19
For example, interviews with 75 migrant and refugee women conducted by Gender Equity Victoria
found that, whilst most participants had a tertiary education, before COVID-19 only 18% of the women
interviewed were employed fulltime, whilst 45% were in insecure (and possibly underemployed) work
arrangements, and over a quarter were financially dependent and reliant on a partner’s income or
social security payments. See Gender Equity Victoria, Left Behind: Migrant and Refugee Women’s
Experience of COVID-19 (Report, 2021) 7, 17 <https://www.genvic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/10/LeftBehindWOMHEnReport61021FINAL.pdf>. African Australians who
participated in consultations for the Commission’s In our own words project also noted the lack of
information about relevant vocational education and training programs; the confusing nature of
employment support services; the difficulties of having overseas training, qualifications and experience
recognised; and experiences of discrimination and harassment when applying for jobs, during
interviews or in the workplace. See Australian Human Rights Commission, In our own words – African
Australians: A review of human rights and social inclusion issues (Report, 2010) 10–2
<https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/africanaus/review/in_our_own_words.pdf>.
20
A landmark national report by Harmony Alliance found that, of a total 1,400 migrant and refugee
women, over a third had experienced some form of domestic and/or family violence, and of those
nearly half had experienced at least two forms of domestic and/or family violence. See Marie Segrave,
Rebecca Wickes, and Chloe Keel, Migrant and Refugee Women in Australia: The Safety and Security Study
(Report, Harmony Alliance and Monash University, 2021) 65.
21
Marie Segrave, Rebecca Wickes, and Chloe Keel, Migrant and Refugee Women in Australia: The Safety and
Security Study (Report, Harmony Alliance and Monash University, 2021) 38; Gender Equity Victoria, Left
Behind: Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experience of COVID-19 (Report, 2021) 7
<https://www.genvic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/10/LeftBehindWOMHEnReport61021FINAL.pdf>.
22
Louise Olliff et al, ‘“We will start building from that”: Social capital, social networks and African migrants’
job-seeking experiences in Australia’ (2022) 57(3) Australian Journal of Social Issues 725, 727, 736.
23
Susan Maury et al, Understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable Australians: Insights from Good
Shepherd Australia New Zealand (Report, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand, 2020) 4, 6, 11–3. See
also Nicholas Biddle, Matthew Gray and Jieh Yung Lo, The experience of Asian-Australians during the
COVID-19 pandemic: Discrimination and wellbeing (Paper, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods,
October 2020) ii, 5.
24
See, eg, Gender Equity Victoria, Left Behind: Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experience of COVID-19
(Report, 2021) 20 <https://www.genvic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/10/LeftBehindWOMHEnReport61021FINAL.pdf>; Nicholas Biddle, Matthew Gray
and Jieh Yung Lo, The experience of Asian-Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic: Discrimination and
wellbeing (Paper, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, October 2020) ii, 2.
25
Harmony Alliance, Migrant and Refugee Women in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact, Resilience, And The Way
Forward (National Consultation Report, February 2021) 18–9 <https://harmonyalliance.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/02/HA-Membership-Forum-Report.pdf>.
26
Enqi Weng, Fethi Mansouri and Matteo Vergani, ‘The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Delivery of
Services to CALD Communities In Australia’ (2021) 2(2) ADI Policy Briefing Papers 1, 2–3
<https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2021-08/apo-nid313720.pdf>.
27
Department of Social Services, ‘Guides to Social Policy Law: Social Security Guide’ (online, 15 August
2022) <https://guides.dss.gov.au/social-security-guide/3/1/2/40>.
28
Gender Equity Victoria, Left Behind: Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experience of COVID-19 (Report, 2021) 4
<https://www.genvic.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/10/LeftBehindWOMHEnReport61021FINAL.pdf>.
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