NATIONAL ITALIAN-AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION

About us

Women in the Italian community

A brief outline of the Italian-Australian women's
community and the birth of the NIAWA.

The majority of Italian immigrants to Australia came from the southern regions of Italy, such as Calabria and Sicily, and the Veneto Region in the North, frequently regarded as very conservative regions and often described as “patriarchal” societies. In reality, the role of Italian women was never as subservient as many outsiders would think. They have always played a very influential role in domestic life and in the upbringing of children.
The Italian immigrant women in Australia have tended to remain outside the workforce to a higher degree than many other immigrant women from other backgrounds. Many women, contrary to men, have never been unionised because they mainly worked part time from home. Women were also less likely to be proficient in English and this obviously inhibited them from taking a more active role in the community and political life of Australia.