PR-46-2022 
24 November 2022

Multicultural women share stories and a plea to stop violence

In recent months, we have seen human rights violations in other countries adversely affecting women, according to The Silent Witness Network (TSWN).

TSWN Chair Melba Marginson said that these global incidents affect multicultural women in Australia. “As migrants and refugees, we are always between two worlds. We are in constant struggle to survive here in our second home, while we try to help the people we left behind in our original homes,” she added.

Melba Marginson, Chair of The Silent Witness Network, shares a light moment with Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo; TWSN Community Approach to Family Violence Prevention.

On 24 November 2022, organized a forum called “How do multicultural communities cope with domestic and global violence?” to demonstrate the complexity of multicultural women’s experience in coping with violence.

In opening the forum, Consul General Maria Lourdes Salcedo recalled the various collaboration with the TSWN such as the dialogue with 15 Parliamentarians in March 2022 to check on reforms to address family violence after the campaign led by TWSN in the 1980s led to the amendments of the 1975 Family Law Act. Reference was also made to Philippine contribution to the pioneering draft of the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the recent campaigns for “Respect for diversity” “You’re not alone!” and “Silent no more.”

Ms. Marginson talked about TSWN’s Helpline and Referral Model as a strategy to effectively address family violence within multicultural communities. There was also a moving talks from Victorian women leaders such as Nosrat Hosseini of Iranian Women’s Association, Zakia Baig of Hazara Women’s Friendship Network, Nurcihan Ozturk of Turkish Women’s Recreational Group and Dalal Samaan of Beth Nahrain Assyria Association. They were keen on advocating an end to violence that have impacted their very basic human rights.

An open discussion followed with an intention to come up with tangible and long-term measures that will benefit multicultural women as a whole. The forum ended with the reciting of a commitment or resolution towards the goal of addressing domestic and global violence. END

Multicultural women in attendance stand up to be counted as they recite a moving statement to address domestic and global violence.