POD National Forum: Building Capacity for Advocacy
8 April 2009

On Wednesday 8 April 2009, MCWH held the POD National Forum at the Richmond Town Hall Melbourne. The Forum provided stakeholders with an opportunity to deliberate on issues raised in a discussion paper on issues affecting immigrant and refugee women.

The Forum was officially opened by the Hon. Tanya Plibersek, Federal Minister for Housing and for the Status of Women who discussed the national response to issues affecting immigrant and refugee women, emphasing the need to continue supporting immigrant and refugee populations in spite of the difficult economic times.

Two keynote speakers also addressed the forum, presenting expert and insightful papers, which further contributed to debate and discussion. The speakers were Professor Hurriyet Babacan, Director of the Institute for Community, Ethnicity and Policy Alternatives Victoria University, and Dr Millsom S Henry-Waring, Lecturer in Sociology at the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Professor Babacan's paper addresses the myriad of challenges affecting immigrant and refugee women, and provided useful statistics to support the underrepresentation and low participation of women in different social spheres. Dr Henry-Waring addressed the issues of 'visibility' and 'belonging'. She provided a rich academic context for understanding immigrant and refugee women's issues.

The following day, members of the expert advisory committee (EAC) discussed the previous day's deliberations, and the way forward. A videoconference was also arranged for stakeholders unable to attend the Forum in Melbourne, in order to allow them the opportunity to make their contributions to the discussions. Altogether, 27 participants from NSW, ACT, QLD, WA, SA and NT, participated. Although Tasmania did not take part, it was well represented at the Forum in Melbourne.

POD Discussion Paper

POD Forum Program

Dr Pauline Gwartirisa's Forum Presentation

Dr Millsom S Henry-Waring Presentation on POD Project Milesones

For more information on our POD Project click here.