Understanding systemic barriers across the lifespan : a human rights inquiry into disability and mothering
department or school: Health and Social Development, Faculty of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Smith, Jewelles Anne-Merrie
issued: 2021-10-26T17:34:06Z
issued: 2021
related degree: Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Disabled mothers face multiple barriers across the lifespan in accessing information and services related to reproductive and sexual health, and maternal care. Further, disabled mothers face over-surveillance and barriers when raising their children. Despite Canada being a signatory to the CRPD (2006) since 2010, and having legislation that asserts equality for all citizens, many policies, programs and services are inaccessible to women with disabilities. This dissertation takes a unique approach to understanding the experiences of disabled mothers across the lifespan. Combining retroactive qualitative life course history (Priestley, 2000) interviews combined with emancipatory (Barton, 2005) disability human rights monitoring methods (Disability Rights Promotion International, 2010). I ask, from a human rights perspective, what are the experiences of disabled mothers in Canada? How do these experiences impact their daily lives related to reproductive decisions, pregnancy/adoption, and raising children? And, how do women experience access to information about reproductive decisions and choices across the lifespan? Eighteen disabled mothers in two provinces (BC and ON) participated in this research. The data was organized into major life milestones. Five major findings were identified during the research. First, participants consistently faced barriers in accessing factual and accessible information to make informed choices. Second, many spaces that disabled women encounter related to having and raising a family continue to be inaccessible, or only partially accessible. Third, systemic ableism continues to exist both in reproductive, sexual health, and maternal care, and in the spaces where women raise and care for their children. Fourth, once women have a family, affordable, accessible housing and transportation are ongoing barriers. Fifth, many spaces for families, including schools, daycares, and recreational activities are inaccessible to parents with disabilities…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/80069
note: UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: A HUMAN RIGHTS INQUIRY INTO DISABILITY AND MOTHERING by Jewelles Anne-Merrie Smith B.A., Simon Fraser University, 2003 M.A., Simon Fraser University, 2007 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Interdisciplinary Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) October 2021 © Jewelles Anne-Merrie Smith, 2021 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a dissertation entitled: Understanding systemic barriers across the lifespan: A human rights inquiry into disability and mothering submitted by Jewelles Smith in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Dr. Rachelle Hole, Faculty of Health and Social Development Supervisor Dr. Leyton Schnellert, Faculty of Education Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Timothy Stainton, Faculty of Arts Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Christine Schreyer, Faculty of Arts University Examiner Dr. Eilionóir Flynn, University of Ireland Galway External Examiner iii Abstract Disabled mothers face multiple barriers across the lifespan in accessing information and services related to reproductive and sexual health, and maternal care. Further, disabled mothers face over-surveillance and barriers when raising their children. Despite Canada being a signatory to the CRPD (2006) since 2010, and having legislation that asserts equality for all citizens, many policies, programs and services are inaccessible to women with disabilities. This dissertation takes a unique approach to understanding the experiences of disabled mothers across the lifespan. Combining retroactive qualitative life course history (Priestley, 2000) interviews combined with emancipatory (Barton, 2005) disability human rights monitoring methods (Disability Rights Promotion International, 2010). I ask, from a human rig…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2021-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0402622
language: eng
degree discipline: Interdisciplinary Studies
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Hole, Rachelle
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/80069