Women Migrants in Western Australia: Case Studies of Resilience and Empowerment

Abstract

This article presents findings from an exploratory research using descriptive case studies of 12 migrant women in Western Australia. The purposive sample represents the government, academia, the private sector, community, civil society and not-for-profit organisations and is ranged in age from the late 20s to the 70s. Underpinned by theoretical frameworks of resilience and empowerment, women have shared their personal case narratives, and five case studies are presented in this paper. Our findings resonate with the vital and uncontested importance of education, the desire to be empowered, the capacity to be resilient and adaptive and the importance of giving back to the community. Key recommendations include the need for migrant women’s continued access to avenues of empowerment and furthering education. The provision of adaptive structures builds resilience and grows strong communities where women feel empowered. We propose that women migrants, through alliances and collaboration, cross borders of learning and work towards generating change and transformation.

Community Resilience and Migration: Using Best Evidence Synthesis to Promote Migrant Welfare

“…They experience disruptions to career paths, limited social networks and a lack of relationships with people of the same culture in their adopted land that hinder settlement. Other impediments, such as, lack of access to education, property rights, credit, social transfers and skills training impact their success and the way they are viewed socially [12].…”

“…Additionally, labour market restrictions have historically posed problems for migrants and racist policies have made the settlement process di cult for them [13]. In order to grow and build resilience, factors like social support, security and employment are critical in countering these problems [12].…”

Not Leaving ‘Lone Migrant Mothers’ Behind: The Role of Place-based Childcare Support in Australia’s Marginalised Neighbourhoods

“…In an era of global capitalism characterised by high labour demands and economic efficiency, lone women have been over-represented as labour migrants across developed countries (Deka, 2020;Ho, 2006b;Özkazanç-Pan, 2020;Ryan, 2002). While migration is seen as an opportunity for a better economic life (Dantas, Strauss, Cameron, & Rogers, 2020), it comes at a cost of dismantling, disrupting, and reconfiguring families and systems of social support for those migrating. Moreover, most lone migrant women, for instance, those from Asia and Africa come from collectivist cultures who rely on their extended families for various forms of support (Wali & Renzaho, 2018).…”