Social constructions of disabled women and their implications for their wellbeing in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cultural perspectives on disability shape how disabled women (DW) are perceived and treated in the Yoruba culture, thereby creating an avenue for uniquely gendered exposure to vulnerabilities. The study examined how the socio-cultural construction of disability exposes DW to vulnerabilities in Lagos State. Critical Disability Theory and an exploratory research design were adopted. Primary data were collected through qualitative methods. Twelve in-depth interviews were conducted with vulnerable DW who were selected through snowball sampling. Ten key informant interviews were conducted with purposively selected state actors (the Police, Judiciary, and Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs (LASODA)) and non-state actors (the Disabled People Organization and culture custodians). The data were analyzed using narrative content analysis. Findings revealed that disability is perceived as a limitation of DW, which ensues from the barriers erected by society concerning their impairments. Therefore, disability is largely regarded as a social construct rather than a medical construct. Disabled women construct themselves as ‘normal” or ”equal’ beings in society. However, their significant others socio-culturally constructed them variously as Abirun, Alaare, Elesu, Oosa, asexual, and intellectually deficient in Lagos. These negative constructions were influenced by cultural and belief systems about disability, which expose DW in Lagos to multiple risks and vulnerabilities with harmful consequences for their life chances.