Economic and social participation: The experiences of women who have migrated to Australia in the last 15 years

Abstract

In response to the increasing number of women immigrating to Australia, there has been more research into understanding their settlement experience around employment and its benefits to their well-being and self-identity. However, the social participation of migrant women which is another major element for successful settlement, is still under-researched. Much of the available research is based on survey-based studies and quantitative-based data, with few studies examining their experiences at a personal level. Therefore, this study aimed to fill the knowledge gap by examining the economic and social participation experiences of migrant women in Australia. It also aimed to identify the barriers that they face living and working in Australia. Employing a qualitative interview design accompanied by photo-elicitation methodology, a sample of 10 migrant women of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, aged 21-47 years, were interviewed. An analysis of the data resulted in identification of four main themes: work, friendships, personal as well as community and social participation. The results suggest that through economic participation, migrant women develop their confidence, expand their social network, and improve their English proficiency which enable them to be more involved in social participation. The findings also suggest that migrant women faced challenges such as busy work commitments, a demanding home-maker role, and a lack of social network that limit their opportunities to social participation. In conclusion, there is a need for policy makers to develop programs designed to assist their employment opportunities and provide directions for settlement strategies to enhance their social and economic participation.