Monday, June 25, 2012

Multicultural Policy Interview ~ SBS

Image:  Children's Sanctuary Multicultural Festival ~ Canberra 2012




On Monday, the NIRWA Chair Ms Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis spoke with SBS about the Multicultural Policy.


You can listen to the interview with Vivi along with other Community Leaders by clicking on the link below:



http://www.sbs.com.au/podcasts/Podcasts/radionews/episode/220405/Hopes-for-new-direction-in-multicultural-policy

The NIRWA Team


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The National Launch "215 Million Reasons Why"

The National Campaign Launch for the "215 Million Reasons Why ... The Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families" was held on Sunday 17th June in Bankstown, New South Wales.


The wonderful teams from Asian Women at Work along with Immigrants Women's Speakout hosted a fabulous event.


Some of the stories shared on the postcards were: 



"Being a migrant that came to Australia as a young child, I had to watch my parents be out of the workforce for a long time. When my Dad did finally get a job, he was treated unfairly, people laughed at him because of his poor language skills - it was terrible" Mustafa


" We need to remove the perception that it is ok to pay Migrant Workers less for the same job"  Malcolm


"As a worker in the refugee area for women and children escaping domestic violence, we support many women with no incomes and no other support" Anon


"Its not appropriate to run an economy based on exploitation and slavery" Mel


"Its vital that we continue to build a better future for all of us in this wonderful country and continue to protect individual rights of people from all ethnic backgrounds"  Sally


There was also some great coverage of the Campaign Launch of "215 Million Reasons Why ... The Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families" in the Local The Express.  You can click on the link below to read the story:

http://express.whereilive.com.au/news/story/plea-for-pm-to-sign-up/


Next stop for the campaign is Canberra in August!  So stay tuned to find out more


The next State Launch will be held in Victoria in July!!

We thank everyone involved for their support, hard work and passion in taking a stand to make a difference.

The NIRWA Team

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

215 Million Reasons Why ... The Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families


Campaign for Australian Ratification of the Migrant Workers Convention


The Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women Australia Inc. (NIRWA) is  working to ratify The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families also referred to as the UN Migrant Workers Convention, to support 215 million migrant workers’ rights and their families.  (2009 United Nations International Migration Report) .

NIRWA  is organising events throughout the country, using the humble postcard, to send a message to the Prime Minister to support ‘215 Million Reasons... The Rights of Migrant Workers & their Families’.

The national launch will be in New South Wales on Sunday 17 June 2012 from 10.30am–11.30am at Bankstown Roundhouse jointly organised by Immigrant Women’s Speakout Association and Asian Women At Work, inviting families to come  to enjoy face-painting and balloon sculpturing for the kids, and lunch for the adults.

To add to the momentum, each NIRWA State member organisation will organise launches of the Postcard as part of the campaign. NIRWA is also producing an animation about the UN Migrant Workers Rights Convention, to be featured on the website after the national launch – so watch that space.

NIRWA is asking the Australian public to sign the postcard and share their voice, or just provide a name and signature, to support the ‘215 Million Reasons … The Rights of Migrant Workers & their Families’.

NIRWA is reinforcing the 215 million reasons to support the rights of Migrant Workers and their families, as each and every migrants’ rights deserves to be acknowledged as human rights.

On October 1 2011, a coalition of civil society groups (including NIRWA and The Human Rights Council of Australia) and global groups launched a renewed call for Australia to ratify the International Convention on the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of  their Families ("the Migrant Workers Convention").

“It is important for our Australian community to recognise that migrant workers are recognised as the most vulnerable category of workers throughout the world. The postcard campaign is a way we can have people talking about and supporting the Migrant Workers Convention,” says Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis, Chair of NIRWA. [END]


For media enquiries: Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis 02 9569 1288 and Jackie Leewai, Media Officer at 0408 462 756.  Also visit NIRWA on Facebook, Twitter, Website and our Blog.



The Network of Immigrant and Refugee Women of Australia Inc. (NIRWA) is an independent body that seeks to advocate for immigrant and refugee women at the national level by working to achieve cultural, social, economic, education and gender equality for immigrant and refugee women living in Australia.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Please meet Afifa ....

We'd love to introduce you to Afifa who joined our Team for Canberra Week and is the Young Women's Council Representative from QLD.

Afifa was born in Afghanistan and has a Hazara-Persian background.  She is fluent in English, Dari, Hazaragi and Persian.

Afifa has worked for Refugee Advocacy and Humanitarian affairs in both Australia and Afghanistan. Her main interest in taking part in Canberra Week is to gain first-hand knowledge and training that will allow her to further her passion and efforts in working more effectively as a Refugee Rights Activist.

Mental and physical health, domestic violence and education are the three issues that Afifa has identified as the main areas of concern facing young migrant and refugee women.

The creation of equality and fairness of rights for Migrant Workers are important, and Afifa feels strongly that the UN Convention should be ratified by Australia.


Welcome Afifa,

The NIRWA Team