Melissa Hichins Arismendi is an Occupational Therapist, graduated from Universidad de Magallanes, and an activist for the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of persons with disabilities. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences with a specialization in Social Intervention.
She currently serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Universidad de Magallanes and is a co-founder of the community organization Network for the Protection of Rights and Social Inclusion (REPRODIS).
Her professional career, spanning over 12 years of experience, has focused on advocating for the sexual and reproductive rights of persons with disabilities, with a pioneering approach to supporting and empowering women with intellectual disabilities in the exercise of motherhood. She has led research, interventions, and advocacy actions to highlight the maternal capacities of these women, promoting their right to receive the necessary support for the care and upbringing of their children.
She currently leads the Crianza Austral initiative, a pioneering program in the Magallanes region that promotes the inclusion and support of parents with disabilities in the full exercise of their parenthood.