Our Publications
MCWH produces a range of publications including best practice, health education and community engagement guides for those working with migrant and refugee women, as well as a number of project reports, research articles and general research publications. You can find all our publications in the accordian below.
Guides for best practice, health education and community engagement
Set the PACE: Five ways to design leadership programs for migrant women, non-binary and gender diverse people
2023. For those working to implement leadership programs for migrant and refugee women, non-binary and gender diverse people.
Download PDF 7MB | Download Word Screen Reader Friendly Version 2MB
Key Contacts in Migrant Women’s Prevention of Violence
2020. A directory of key contacts working in preventing violence against migrant and refugee women.
Download PDF 6MB
Intersectionality Matters: Engaging immigrant and refugee communities to prevent violence against women.
2017. An essential guide for planning and working with immigrant and refugee communities on prevention activities.
Download PDF 1.8MB
The NETFA Best Practice Guide for Working with Communities Affected by FGM/C.
2014. A clear and evidence-based guide for planning and working with communities on FGM/C prevention activities.
Download PDF 1MB. Download printer friendly PDF 424KB. Or visit the NETFA website at www.netfa.com.au
Culturally Responsive Palliative Care Community Education Peer Education Resource.
2013. A resource developed in partnership with Palliative Care Victoria to support bilingual educators to deliver education about palliative care to their communities.
On request.
Women's Health Map: Assisting immigrant and refugee women to navigate the Australian health system. A manual for community workers.
2011. An innovative manual for community workers supporting immigrant and refugee women to navigate the Australian health system.
Download PDF 852KB
Common Threads Best Practice Guide: Working with immigrant and refugee women in sexual and reproductive Health.
2012. A concise, evidence-based and easy to use reference guide with case studies.
Download PDF 1.5MB
Diabetes Prevention Education Manual.
2011. Based on years of succesful bilingual diabetes prevention education, to support service providers to adopt a culturally appropriate model of health promotion.
Download PDF 5.9MB
Points of Departure: An advocacy toolkit for immigrant and refugee women.
2010. A useful and tested guide for immigrant and refugee women and groups wanting to advocate on issues relevant to them.
Download PDF 5.5MB
Best Practice Guide for Leadership Programs for Immigrant & Refugee Women
2010. This guide summarises the outcomes of an extensive review of national and international literature of leadership capacity building initiatives for immigrant and refugee women.
Download PDF 3MB
Project reports and key project findings
Workplace Equality: A model for preventing violence against migrant and refugee women.
2019. A case study of how workplace prevention activities can effectively address intersecting drivers of violence against women. Download PDF 6MB
Dealing with it myself: Supporting immigrant and refugee carers in Australia.
2017. Findings and outcomes of a two-year project to support people who care for a loved one with an illness. Download PDF 1.1MB
Common Threads Report: The sexual and reproductive health experiences of immigrant and refugee women in Australia.
2012. A cross-cultural study of migrant and refugee womens' experiences and perspectives about their sexual and reproductive health. Download PDF 1.14MB
Bbkayi: Baby Plus Two Project Report.
2012. Commissioned by Whitehorse Community Health Service. Key recommendations for culturally relevant service delivery for Chinese women accessing support around pregnancy and childbirth. Download PDF 1.16MB
For all hearts: Promoting heart health to culturally diverse communities.
2012. Funded by Heart Foundation Victoria's Engaging Women’s Grant, Heart Foundation Victoria and MCWH partnered to deliver heart health information to women from migrant and refugee communities. Download PDF 95KB
Immigrant and refugee women’s advocacy project 2011-12 report.
2012. Funded by the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services, this report provides a case study of how the MCWH Points of Departure Toolkit can be effectively put into practice to support women from immigrant and refugee backgrounds in their own advocacy work. Thanks to Yabbo Thompson for permission to publish. Download PDF 770KB
On Your Own: Sexual and reproductive health of female international students in Australia.
2011. Undertaken in response to a high number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions experienced by female international students in Australia. Download PDF 558KB
Coming out, coming home or inviting people in? Supporting same-sex attracted women from immigrant and refugee communities.
2011. Explores the impacts of cultural differences in supporting LGBTIQ individuals and building capacity to support same-sex attracted women in migrant communities. Download PDF 2194KB Download Word Doc
On Her Way: Primary prevention of violence against immigrant and refugee women in Australia.
2011. A landmark overview of violence perpetrated against immigrant and refugee women in Australia, possible risk factors and recommendations for primary prevention efforts. Download PDF 3.26MB
Participate, Advocate, Communicate, Engage (PACE): A leadership project for immigrant and refugee women.
2010. Outlines key findings and outcomes of the Participate, Advocate, Communicate, Engage (PACE) Leadership Project. Download PDF 706KB
Diabetes prevention for immigrant and refugee women.
2010. An innovative pilot project to increase the capacity of immigrant and refugee women to make healthy lifestyle choices to minimise their risk of Type 2 diabetes. Download PDF 1.98KB
Research Articles and Publications
HealthWest Partnership (2021). Community Conversations: Talking about Finding Work in Australia. HealthWest Partnership: Footscray, Victoria. Download PDF 1MB.
Vaughan, C., Chen, J., Sullivan, C., Suha, M., Sandhu, M., Hourani, J., … Murdolo, A. (2020). Multicultural and Settlement services Supporting women experiencing violence: The MuSeS project (Research report, 11/2020). Sydney: ANROWS. Download PDF 2MB.
Aryal, R. 2018. Enabling Social Change with Immigrant and Refugee Caregivers: Beyond Dualistic Difference to Intersectionality: Special Section on Medical Anthropology. American Anthropologist, 120(3), pp.551-554.
A Murdolo. Family violence in Victoria: A mainstream multicultural response. Parity [online] 2016.
C Vaughan, A Murdolo, L Murray, E Davis, J Chen, K Block, R Quiazon and D Warr. Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia. The ASPIRE Project Research report. ANROWS. 2016. Download PDF 5.1MB.
C Vaughan et al. Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia. The ASPIRE Project Research Summary report. ANROWS. 2016. Download PDF 338KB.
C Vaughan et al. Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia. The ASPIRE State of Knowledge Paper. ANROWS. 2015. Download PDF 5.1MB.
C Vaughan et al. ASPIRE: A multi-site community-based participatory research project to increase understanding of the dynamics of violence against immigrant and refugee women in Australia. BMC Public Health. 2015. Link to article.
A Murdolo and R Quiazon. Key issues in working with men from immigrant and refugee communities in preventing violence against women. White Ribbon Research Series. 2016. Download.
A Murdolo and R Quiazon. 'Bringing the Margins to the Centre' in Our Watch, ANROWS and VicHealth. Change the Story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia: Framework Foundations 2. 2015. Download PDF 1.59MB.
C Poljski and R Quiazon and C Tran. Ensuring Rights: Improving Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Female International Students in Australia. Journal of International Students. 2014. Download PDF 137KB.
M Carolan-Olah, A Cassar, R Quiazon and S Lynch. 'Diabetes Care and Service Access among Elderly Vietnamese with Type 2 Diabetes'. BMC Health Services Research. 2013. Link to article.
M Hach. Common Threads Report: The sexual and reproductive health experiences of immigrant and refugee women in Australia. 2012. Documents a national cross-cultural research initiative into the experiences and perspectives of immigrant and refugee women in relation to their sexual and reproductive health. 2012.Download PDF 1.14MB
C Poljski. On Her Way: Primary prevention of violence against immigrant and refugee women in Australia. 2011. Download PDF 3.26MB
Research at MCWH
Our approach to research
MCWH fosters an ethical and collaborative research culture that aims to achieve transformative change in immigrant and refugee women’s lives. Our approach to research:
- acknowledges and respects women’s experiences, values and knowledge;
- values and creates opportunities to draw on women’s knowledge and wisdom;
- promotes participatory processes;
- respects and acknowledges the cultural distinctiveness of, and inter-cultural differences between, immigrant and refugee communities; and
- fosters ethical and respectful relationships that affirm immigrant and refugee women’s right to have different values, norms and aspirations.
About research at MCWH
The Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) conducts and contributes to influential research to strengthen the evidence base around immigrant and refugee women’s health and wellbeing. All MCWH research partnerships, programs and activities align with our values, vision and purpose.
Our research program recognises that the issues that impact on the health and wellbeing of migrant and refugee women are diverse and include broader social issues such as gender, class, ethnicity, discrimination, geography, family situation, employment, visa status, identity and language.
There is little research currently available about the health and wellbeing of immigrant and refugee women living in Australia or the best health care models and strategies to improve their health outcomes. However, claims about cultural differences in practices and attitudes to health and wellbeing are often made without evidence to support them.
MCWH research regularly involves reviewing, analysing and synthesising available data and information from academic, government, professional and community sources. MCWH also undertakes primary data collection and analysis, often in partnership with academic researchers.
If you are interested in working or collaborating with MCWH in a research capacity please complete this research form to help us understand your needs and email your request to reception@mcwh.com.au or contact (03) 9418 0999 for more information.
Recent Publications
Safety and Support in My Language Project Findings Report
Left Behind: Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experiences of COVID-19 Report
