Working for change 45
Step 2. Share experiences about health care access
Ask each person to tell about something she has seen or experienced that has
prevented a woman with a disability from getting good health care. Make a list, in
no particular order, of the difficulties the women describe.
Let’s list
some of the
experiences
you have had
so we can
start to think
about how
we can make
changes.
Training in
nursing school
does not include
anything about
disability.
- no one knows sign language
- no handrails or ramps
- health centers too far away
- transport will not take me
(even when I can afford it)
Health workers
confuse my
sickness with my
disability.
They do not believe I
need family planning or
information about sexual
health.
There is no
information
in Braille.
Our health center
does not have
the money to
get accessible
equipment.
Step 3. Role plays to learn about barriers to good health care
Use role plays to deepen everyone’s understanding of
the difficulties they have listed. Divide the group into
several teams that include both health workers
and women with disabilities. Ask each team to
spend a few minutes preparing a role play about
a disabled woman who has trouble getting good
health care. Encourage everyone to participate.
People can switch
roles—
a health worker
acting as a
disabled woman,
and a disabled
woman acting as
a health worker.
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities 2007