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What are the views and experiences of daily life for women living with visible, physical disabilities in Papua New Guinea?
Abstract
Papua New Guinea (PNG) developed its National Policy for Disability (NPD) in 2005. The NPD aims to remove barriers that hinder the right of people with disabilities to live a life that is no different to able bodied people in PNG. This policy also reflects PNG‘s commitment to the ratification on the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations, 2006). This study examines the views and experiences of women living with disabilities in rural PNG. This is the first time these narratives have been gathered for research purposes. This study adopts a qualitative approach and used the three theoretical underpinnings of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach─ phenomenology, hermeneutics and idiography─ to develop the research methodology and method. Semi-structured individual interviews from five women with visible, physical disabilities in rural PNG were used to gather narratives about their daily lives. The interviews were transcribed in Tok Pisin, translated to English, and five narratives were developed from the scripts, to capture the voices of the participants about their lives and concerns. Key findings from these narratives indicate that both the socio-cultural practices and the physical environment substantially influence the women‘s level of involvement in their communities. The narratives also revealed that the women‘s daily lives are strongly influenced by how non-disabled perceive disability and disabled people in PNG. These influences include negative self-perceptions, discrimination, marginalisation and being disadvantaged in their communities. It is suggested that current policies and practices that relate to women and people with disabilities should include programmes that raise awareness at the community level about inclusive practices and strengthen social participation and empowerment activities and programmes for women with disabilities at community levels.
Type
Thesis
Type of thesis
Series
Citation
Yenas, A. M. (2019). What are the views and experiences of daily life for women living with visible, physical disabilities in Papua New Guinea? (Thesis, Master of Disability and Inclusion Studies (MDInS)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/12689
Date
2019
Publisher
The University of Waikato
Supervisors
Rights
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