Supporting migrant families, bringing culture to the clinic and then and now with Tamara Kwarteng
June has been marked by grief for many of us. Grief for women like Eurydice Dixon and Qi Yu, murdered by violent men. Grief for the deaths inside institutions of individuals like Fariborz Karami and Ali seeking asylum in Australia. Some of us may be carrying personal grief of our own.
Grief can weigh very heavily but it can also bring us closer. At MCWH we are all trying that little bit harder to be kind to ourselves and thoughtful of others, to be generous with our smiles and our hugs, and to be even firmer in our advocacy for migrant and women’s rights. We send our solidarity and support to the Aboriginal women and allies protecting the Djab Wurrung birthing trees in regional Victoria.
There have also been many victories and causes for celebration. We celebrated the passing of Australia’s first treaty bill in Victoria, which lays the groundwork for the government to ratify agreements with Aboriginal people. We also celebrated Refugee Week and took the opportunity to appreciate women’s strength.
Speaking of strength, this WRAP we are talking about strengthening perinatal services for migrant women, after reading the Family and Community Development Committee’s final report for the Inquiry into Perinatal Services. We are also chatting about the need to bolster medical knowledge with social know-how. Last but not least, we are taking an inspiring walk down memory lane and then back into a bright future with Tamara Kwarteng, the new Chairwoman and style guru of MCWH.
Until next time,
The WRAP Team