We make women’s health work for migrants and refugees in Australia

Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH) is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation led by, for and with women from migrant and refugee backgrounds.

We increase migrant and refugee women’s opportunities for health and wellbeing in Australia through bilingual health education, advocacy and leadership.

Our Story

Multicultural Centre for Women's Health began it's life in 1978 in inner city Melbourne, Australia. A small team of bilingual women were trained to discuss family planning options with migrant women working in the clothing factories.

To celebrate our 40th Anniversary in 1978, we made a short video about our history. We are grateful to the many hundreds of migrant and refugee women and feminist allies whose activism, direction and work shaped MCWH today.

Our Approach

Intersectional

An intersectional and feminist approach means seeing the many ways women's lives, health and decisions are impacted by overlapping social and institutional forces.

Women led

Since 1978, we have worked for the recognition of migrant and refugee women as leaders, experts, agents for change, decision makers and active participants in their health and well-being.

Evidence-based

Building a clearly communicated evidence-base and dispelling assumptions around migrant women's health is central to increasing all women's opportunities for better health and access to better services.

Collaborative

Together we are stronger. Building relationships with partner organisations adds value to existing work and opens more doors to health for migrant women.