This new Initiative follows latest research by Western Sydney University highlighting the barriers refugee women face in starting their own business and participating in the Australian economy.
Melbourne: Tuesday 11th February 2025 – Thrive Refugee Enterprise (Thrive), Australia’s leading NGO dedicated to supporting refugees in starting small businesses and securing employment, is proud to announce the launch of the Refugee Women Accelerator Initiative. The announcement will take place today at a co-hosted event with the Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Julian Hill, at Parliament House in Canberra. This new initiative aims to foster greater financial inclusion for refugee women across Australia.
As Australia’s largest and most successful organisation focused on creating economic opportunities for refugees, Thrive has supported the launch of 800 small businesses since 2017. Yet, refugee women account for just 18% of these businesses, underscoring the distinct barriers refugee women face and the need for more support and pathways.
The Refugee Women Accelerator Initiative seeks to bridge this gap with:
- Increase refugee women as a proportion of Thrive’s clients from 18% to over 25%
- Provide preferred financial terms to women for business loans
- Develop business and employment solutions that are more women and family friendly
- Provide specific training courses and networking opportunities that remove practical, accessibility barriers
- Leverage partnerships with organisations like Minderoo Foundation to expand female economic opportunities
In support of this initiative, Western Sydney University (School of Business) will also unveil the findings of its 2024 research on the barriers faced by refugee women in starting their own business. The research reveals that, despite the growing trend of women joining the entrepreneurial landscape in Australia, refugee women continue to face significant challenges, including limited access to financial resources, language barriers, and gender discrimination.
Dr. Sharon Yam, Western Sydney University (School of Business): “We are excited to present the key findings of our ground-breaking research, which sheds light on the unique challenges refugee women encounter in entrepreneurship. This study not only identifies these barriers but also proposes actionable strategies to overcome them, ultimately empowering refugee women. It is a privilege to be part of this transformative initiative, which aligns with our shared commitment to fostering economic independence and creating opportunities for refugee women. With Thrive’s expertise, we are confident this initiative will provide vital support to refugee women entrepreneurs across Australia, helping them thrive financially while making a meaningful contribution to their communities.”
Thrive's Head of Marketing and Philanthropic Partnerships, Annie Walsh: "We are very pleased to extend our partnership with Western Sydney University (School of Business) to develop significant research that will help inform and enhance our programs addressing the unique economic barriers refugee women face. Today’s launch of the Refugee Women Accelerator Initiative at Parliament House is a crucial first step in tackling these barriers and follows last week’s unveiling of an important new gender-lens funding partnership with Minderoo Foundation; a funding partnership that will help us create more economic outcomes for refugee women.”
Visit www.tre.org.au to view a concise copy of Western Sydney University (School of Business) Research Findings and the Thrive 2024 Impact Report.
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Contact Dr. Sharon Yam directly at Western Sydney University m. 0434 272 617, or m. 0417 254 881
Contact Annie Walsh directly at Thrive Refugee Enterprise m. 0404 315 875
About us:
About Thrive Refugee Enterprise: Thrive’s purpose is to provide pathways to economic opportunities for refugees that will enable greater financial inclusion and more effective settlement. Our vision is for all refugees to be economically empowered, integrated, prospering and contributing back to Australian society. Since 2017, Thrive has supported the creation of 800 refugee-led small businesses, collectively generating annual revenues of more than $90M. In doing so it has provided business support to 3,000+ refugees. www.tre.org.au
Contact details:
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Contact Dr. Sharon Yam directly at Western Sydney University m. 0434 272 617, or m. 0417 254 881
Contact Annie Walsh directly at Thrive Refugee Enterprise m. 0404 315 875