Núcleo Disca

Disability and citizenship

Author Archives: Comunicaciones Núcleo DISCA

  1. Discapacidad en Chile: una introducción [Disability in Chile: an introduction]

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    Disability in Chile: An Introduction (The book is only published in Spanish)

    “Disability in Chile: An Introduction” offers a comprehensive analysis of the physical, social, and attitudinal barriers faced by people with disabilities, while promoting a shift towards a human rights-based approach. This book aims to change the paradigm of disability in Chile, placing the issue at the center of public discourse from a social and human rights perspective.

    Throughout its 10 chapters, it examines how people with disabilities face significant barriers to participating in society, from education and employment to family life, politics, and access to justice.

    The text is not limited to a single disability but addresses a wide range of experiences, using a general and inclusive approach. Moreover, the authors, many of whom have direct experience with disability, provide evidence-based analyses and propose solutions to eliminate barriers that prevent full inclusion.

    The book brings together contributions from leading experts and is aimed at a wide audience, including academics, people with disabilities, professionals in the field, family members, and anyone interested in social justice and inclusion.

    How to Access the Book:

    Discapacidad en Chile: una introducción

  2. Docencia e Investigación Femidisca: una caja de herramientas desde América Latina [Teaching and Research Femidisca: A Toolkit from Latin America]

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    This text is a guide for using a feminist perspective when teaching and conducting research on disability in Latin America.

    This guide emerged from the multiple conversations one of its authors (Constanza López Radrigán) had with researchers and activists in the field of disability who are based in or connected to the region. These conversations complement the findings she reached as part of her doctoral thesis, which aimed to articulate a feminist approach to disability from a Latin American perspective. Therefore, this guide is based both on these conversations and on some of the central conclusions she reached in her doctoral work. By virtue of the work’s focus on the perceptions and experiences of forty-two researchers and nineteen activists, the guide is intended for those dedicated to the processes of teaching, learning, and producing academic knowledge about disability in this territory.

    You can download the full document in Spanish at this link: Docencia e Investigación Femidisca

    If you would like to listen to this document, you can do so at the following link: https://bit.ly/3zcMR0P

    Teaching and Research Femidisca

  3. Baby MICARE Manual de Intervención para Profesionales [Baby MICARE: Intervention Manual for Professionals]

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    Points of interest:

    • Baby MICARE is a free program that helps professionals work with families of children with Down syndrome, from birth to 3 years old.
    • The program is based on scientific evidence and includes a step-by-step guide for implementation. Its goal is to improve interactions between caregivers and children, supporting their development and autonomy.
    • The program includes 10 sessions, focused on practicing skills through play and daily routines.
    • Any health or education professional can use the program, as the manual explains each step clearly.
    • The program also strengthens sensitivity, empathy, and respect for the child’s initiative during play.
    • Baby MICARE was created based on research funded by Fondecyt Regular 1221400, and it takes into account the characteristics and needs of families in Chile.

     

    Notes:

    • The following summary was prepared by Núcleo Milenio DISCA and is based exclusively on the original publication. Therefore, it should not be used for citations or references.
    • This article was originally published in English.

  4. Insumos y recomendaciones para políticas públicas e intervención social en torno a las luchas de las personas con discapacidad en América Latina [Guidelines and Recommendations for Public Policies and Social Intervention Regarding the Struggles of People with Disabilities in Latin America]

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    Points of interest:

    • It is necessary to create laws and institutions that truly respond to the needs of people with disabilities. This includes moving away from outdated models that view disability solely as a medical issue.
    • People with disabilities must directly participate in the creation of policies and programs that affect them.
    • It is important to recognize that women, LGBTIQ+ individuals, children, adolescents, Indigenous peoples, and racialized people with disabilities face different barriers. Therefore, state actions must be sensitive to these differences and ensure appropriate support for each group.
    • It is urgent to eliminate the figure of “interdiction” that still exists in several countries, which prevents many people with disabilities from making decisions about their own lives, bodies, or property.
    • A set of recommendations is proposed to realize self-determination and combat discrimination against people with disabilities.

     

    Notes:

    • The following summary was prepared by Núcleo Milenio DISCA and is based exclusively on the original publication. Therefore, it should not be used for citations or references.
    • This article was originally published in Spanish.

  5. Inclusion of people with disabilities in Chilean health policy: a policy analysis

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    Points of interest:

    • Approximately 18% of the Chilean population has a disability. Despite having greater health needs, they face significant difficulties in accessing health services due to structural barriers in the health system.
    • Twelve health policies were analyzed using an analytical framework adapted for disability, and the presence of 21 core human rights concepts was evaluated. Although 92% of the policies mention human rights concepts related to disability, only 50% show clear policy commitments.
    • In addition, 15 national stakeholders were interviewed to assess perceptions on health policies.
    • The 15 interviewees identified three main reasons explaining the implementation challenges of disability-related health policies:
      1. Lack of financing;
      2. Inconsistent political approach to disability;
      3. Shortage of human resources.
    • It is crucial to improve both the design and implementation of disability-inclusive health policies to guarantee the right to health for people with disabilities and to comply with the human rights principles that should guide inclusive public health policy.

     

    Notes:

    • The following summary was prepared by Núcleo Milenio DISCA and is based exclusively on the original publication. Therefore, it should not be used for citations or references.
    • This article was published in English.

  6. Turnstile politics: practices of care and mobility justice in Santiago’s public transport system

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    Points of interest:

    • Public transport in Chile was designed without considering the different types of people’s bodies and how they move. This is seen in how people pass through the turnstiles of micros.
    • “Micro” is a way of naming public transport buses in Chile.
    • The author talks about the concept of “Mobility Justice.” This concept refers to how things surrounding people affect their mobility.
    • This study looks at how people deal with their problems with the use of tourniquets. We also observe the forms of care that people create in response to these problems.
    • This study mentions that the use of tourniquets in microphones is a mobility injustice. This is mentioned because the tourniquets make it difficult for people with different bodies to climb into the micro.
    • The author mentions that the use of tourniquets is a practice that excludes some passengers. These passengers create different ways of being able to get on the microphone and pass the turnstile. In addition, some passengers help each other to turn the turnstile or carry heavy bags that make it difficult to get through there.

    Notes:

    • The following summary was made by Núcleo Milenio DISCA, and was based exclusively on the publication. Therefore, it cannot be used for citations and references.
    • This article is not free of charge. Available for purchase at the following link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17450101.2024.2380824
    • This article was originally published in English.

  7. ‘Five rungs down’: encounters between disabled parents and the medical institution

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    Points of interest:

    • We analyzed short stories where disabled parents share how they are treated by health personnel (for example, doctors and nurses).
    • Disabled parents say that health personnel do not see them and do not believe they can do things.
    • In these stories, health personnel pay more attention to the parent’s disability than to the child who needs medical attention.
    • Health personnel understand disability as something that limits a person. This can make it difficult for parents and children to get the help they need.
    • Disabled parents look for ways to deal with the way health personnel treat them and to ensure that their children receive care from the health staff.

     

    Notes:

    • This summary was made by Núcleo Milenio DISCA, and was based exclusively on the publication. It cannot be used for citations and references.
    • This article was originally published in English.

  8. Gyneco-obstetric violence and its impact on the mental health of women with disabilities: a case study in Chile

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    Points of interest:

    • The central theme of the article is the analysis of obstetric violence experiences of women with disabilities in Chile.
    • The study was done by conducting in-depth interviews, and analyzing social media and shadow or alternative reports. These types of reports refer to reports built by civil society organizations. Thus, these reports are used to complement those that governments build and review whether they are complying with human rights standards in the country.
    • Data from the study show that women’s sexual and reproductive rights are violated in the Chilean health system.
    • Interviews show that obstetric violence has many ways of expressing itself. Some of these forms are forced sterilization and stigma towards women’s mental health.
    • One way to start a conversation about obstetric violence is in common spaces. So that women can share their experiences with other women who have been through similar situations.
    • It is very important that health-care teams know how to meet the needs of people with disabilities. This serves to prevent cases of obstetric violence in women with disabilities.

    Notes:

    • The following summary was made by Núcleo Milenio DISCA, and was based exclusively on the publication. Therefore, it cannot be used for citations and references.
    • This article was originally published in English.

  9. Haitianizacion de la migración: La falta de apego de mujeres haitianas en el discurso médico de la ciudad de Rancagua, Chile [Haitianization of Migration: The Lack of Attachment of Haitian Women in the Medical Discourse of the City of Rancagua, Chile]

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    Points of interest:

    • The objective of this article is to analyze the narratives of medical professionals in the city of Rancagua (capital of the O’Higgins Region, central Chile), about the reproductive health/motherhood of Haitian women.
    • Haitian women face more obstacles to receiving good medical care: there are no translators, there is a lack of information, and cultural differences are not respected.
    • Being a mother and a migrant is difficult. Many times, these women are judged for not fitting the image of a “good mother” according to what is expected in Chile. This puts them in an unfair position and their way of interacting with their babies is questioned.
    • Doctors in Rancagua say that Haitian women do not show enough affection to their babies. This was called “lack of attachment” in the research.
    • Doctors compare Haitian mothers with other migrant mothers and say that they do not care for their children in the same way. This creates mistrust toward them.
    • The study shows that Haitian women are discriminated against for being Black. Medical staff see them as different, inferior, or “less civilized.”
    • Racist ideas influence how these women are treated. Negative images are built that affect their access to healthcare and that of their children.
    • More births, same problems. Although the number of Haitian women giving birth in Rancagua has increased, the health system has not changed or adapted to serve them better.
    • Importance of the intercultural approach. The study says a change is necessary. Health care needs to understand and respect different cultures and ways of being a mother.

     

    Notes:

    • The following summary was prepared by Núcleo Milenio DISCA and is based exclusively on the original publication. Therefore, it should not be used for citations or references.
    • This article was originally published in English and Spanish.