Purpose of Website
This webpage has been developed as a means of facilitating information sharing amongst health professionals working in the area of sexual and reproductive health for young people from refugee backgrounds. This page aims to increase awareness of the a range of existing programs that are active in this area, enabling the growth of support and communication channels to enhance service delivery.
Focus of Webpage
This webpage focuses on sexual and reproductive health programs targeting young people from refugee backgrounds in Victoria. Content contained in this page includes:
- An overview of health services running sexual and reproductive health programs for young people from refugee backgrounds as at December 2009
- An interactive map displaying where services are located
- Case studies of two services delivering innovative sexual and reproductive health programs to young people from refugee backgrounds
- A contact list for key stakeholders within government, non government organisations and community health services
- Links to relevant policy papers and further information.
What is the issue?
Every year, over 3,500 people from refugee backgrounds settle in Victoria. Almost a quarter of entrants in 2008-09 were under 20 years, and three quarters under 35 years, making the profile of the humanitarian program a young one.
The refugee experience is one in which people are forced to migrate from their home country, away from family and friends, under extreme circumstances including unjust persecution, famine, conflict, and other serious threats to their wellbeing. These experiences, pertaining to forced migration and fleeing one’s home, have a detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of people from a refugee background.
To compound matters further, many refugees have poor access to healthcare prior to arrival in Australia. This may be the result of poor health infrastructure, inability to access services due to conflict or natural disaster, or problems associated with low levels of economic development in their country of origin. These factors result in limited understanding of health issues such as immunisation, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, and the purpose and availability of services.
Why young refugees?
Knowledge and understanding of issues is particularly low in young people from a refugee background who, due to their persistent displacement, may have limited education or access to resources. Consequently, many young people from refugee backgrounds are less informed about sexual and reproductive health than the general population of Australian young people.
Knowledge and understanding of issues is particularly low in young people from a refugee background who, due to their persistent displacement, may have limited education or access to resources. Consequently, many young people from refugee backgrounds are less informed about sexual and reproductive health than the general population of Australian young people.
As documented in Promoting Sexual health among resettled youth with refugee backgrounds (McMichael 2008), many young people report that there is limited opportunity to learn about sexual and reproductive health prior to their settlement in Australia. Limited opportunities remained a problem post-settlement. Some young people are unlikely to actively seek information because of the shame and embarrassment associated with sexual health issues. Poor English language skills also contributed to the ability of some newly-arrived young people to access information about sexually transmitted infections and other sexual health issues.