Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for women with disabilities, particularly in the Global South, face significant challenges due to stigma, discrimination, and inaccessibility. This study addresses the underexplored issue of bodily autonomy for women with disabilities by examining their experiences with SRH services in Mozambique. Using a participatory research approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with ten activist women with disabilities, selected through purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed thematically, with ableism as a central concept. A local assistant with disabilities aided in recruitment, interviews, and the dissemination of preliminary findings, which were translated and reviewed by the participants. The research identified several barriers that prevented the women from accessing SRH services on an equal basis with those without disabilities. These include attitudinal, physical, informational, and communication barriers, as well as challenges related to social relationships. Conversely, the study found that social relationships can also act as important facilitators. These findings highlight the complex and deeply intertwined nature of the embodied experiences that shape the bodily autonomy of women with disabilities. By centering the lived experiences of women with disabilities, the study aims to make them visible in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) discourse. It places African realities at the heart of the analysis, challenging dominant Eurocentric frameworks and aligning with the growing body of Global South scholarship. The article emphasizes lived experience, social relations, and collective autonomy, addressing a critical gap in both research and policy.

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Activist Women with Disabilities and Their Experiences of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Mozambique

  • Nathaly Guzmán Figueroa,
  • Hisayo Katsui

摘要

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services for women with disabilities, particularly in the Global South, face significant challenges due to stigma, discrimination, and inaccessibility. This study addresses the underexplored issue of bodily autonomy for women with disabilities by examining their experiences with SRH services in Mozambique. Using a participatory research approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with ten activist women with disabilities, selected through purposeful sampling. The data were analyzed thematically, with ableism as a central concept. A local assistant with disabilities aided in recruitment, interviews, and the dissemination of preliminary findings, which were translated and reviewed by the participants. The research identified several barriers that prevented the women from accessing SRH services on an equal basis with those without disabilities. These include attitudinal, physical, informational, and communication barriers, as well as challenges related to social relationships. Conversely, the study found that social relationships can also act as important facilitators. These findings highlight the complex and deeply intertwined nature of the embodied experiences that shape the bodily autonomy of women with disabilities. By centering the lived experiences of women with disabilities, the study aims to make them visible in global sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) discourse. It places African realities at the heart of the analysis, challenging dominant Eurocentric frameworks and aligning with the growing body of Global South scholarship. The article emphasizes lived experience, social relations, and collective autonomy, addressing a critical gap in both research and policy.