Abstract:

The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is a guestworker program that enables people from Timor Leste and nine Pacific Island countries to work in Australia on temporary visas. This research report is centred on the experiences of people participating in the PALM scheme regarding reproductive justice.

Reproductive justice is the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent children in safe and healthy environments. The report draws on qualitative interviews with 54 key stakeholders on topics including pregnancy, sexual health, parenting, and sexual and gender based violence. The report identifies policy and practice gaps and calls for reforms to enable the achievement of reproductive justice for PALM participants in Australia.