الإجراءات المتخذة:
The Australian Government and Australian Red Cross are actively working together to promote a socially cohesive Australia. Celebrating our shared values, diversity and the economic and social contributions of migrants, we promote intercultural dialogue, social and economic inclusion and strive to create welcoming and safe spaces for all migrants.
On 11 December 2023, the Australian Government released its Migration Strategy. The strategy outlines the Australian Government’s commitment to building a migration system that matches the needs of the nation and delivers for Australia and for migrants. This includes recognising that migration is central to Australia’s national story and that migrants are an essential part of Australia’s economic and social fabric. The Migration Strategy aims to remove system vulnerabilities that may lead to migrant worker exploitation.
The Australian Government also seeks to maximise the benefits of diversity through the economic and social participation of migrants and humanitarian entrants. Australia’s vision for what successful settlement and integration of humanitarian entrants looks like has been articulated in the Refugee and Humanitarian Entrant Settlement and Integration Outcomes Framework (the Framework), which was released in October 2023. The Framework builds on the strong foundation of Australia’s world class settlement services. It will help to improve Australia’s settlement services, enhance positive settlement outcomes for refugees and humanitarian entrants and guide government agencies delivering settlement services from planning through to programs and evaluation.
The Framework focuses on good settlement practices and includes two underpinning principles and eleven interrelated domains. Indicators are currently being finalised to deepen understanding and to inform policy making across government.
Some recent highlights of collaborative action between Australia and the ARC include:
- The Humanitarian Settlement Program (HSP): as a provider of the Humanitarian Settlement Program in Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and southern New South Wales, Australian Red Cross is working in close collaboration with all levels of Government to foster welcoming communities to and support the successful settlement of humanitarian entrants and refugees in their new communities, including in regional areas. Funding through HSP has enabled Australian Red Cross to build relationships with approximately 80 employers nationally to employ people who have been supported into finding work.
- In Search of Safety: Australian Red Cross successfully completed an 18-month project (Nov. 2019 to Sept. 2021) delivered through funding from the Federal Government. This involved implementation of number of flagship programs, including In Search of Safety, Community Conversations and Pathways to Protection, that engage with communities to ensure they understand, welcome and can support people arriving in Australia. A total of 902 social cohesion sessions were delivered during the Federally funded program.
- Connected Women Program: Australian Red Cross has continued to expand this program through a variety of funding streams, including the federal and state governments, corporate funds, and fundraisers. This program supports the socio-economic participation of migrant women while providing a safe and culturally appropriate space to connect in Northern Territory, Tasmania and New South Wales.
- Fostering Integration Grants: Australian Red Cross has also implemented several Fostering Integration Grants from the Federal Government, all focusing on ways of supporting female migrants and their connection to, and participation in, the broader community.
The Australian Government has involved Australian Red Cross in policy development and programming for social cohesion, for example in shared participation in roundtables and working groups and the Department of Home Affairs NGO Forum (providing insights and advise relating to the humanitarian needs of refugees and people seeking asylum).
As part of the Australian Government’s Modern Slavery Grants, in March 2023, the ARC developed and launched the Work Right Hub, an online platform co-developed by migrants and frontline responders to identify and respond to labour exploitation. Resources were translated into 11 different languages.