Abstract
The global migration landscape has increasingly seen women as a significant proportion of international migrants. This research investigates the reproductive healthcare experiences of South Asian migrant women in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, focusing on how cultural, social, and structural factors affect their access to healthcare services. South Asian communities, including those from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, have migrated to South Africa for better economic opportunities. However, the post-apartheid healthcare system poses unique challenges for migrant women seeking reproductive care. The study involved interviews with eight South Asian migrant women to understand how they navigate reproductive healthcare while preserving cultural identities. It employed qualitative methods within a transnational feminist framework integrated with clinical sociology.
The findings reveal the multi-layered nature of healthcare access for South Asian migrant women in Durban. While categorised as South Asian, the study emphasises that this group is non-homogeneous, reflecting diverse geographic and social origins that shape distinct individual experiences. Language barriers emerged as obstacles extending beyond linguistic differences to encompass cultural communication styles and accent-based discrimination. Cultural and religious influences shaped reproductive health practices, with participants demonstrating strategies for integrating traditional and biomedical approaches. The intersection of migration status and gender created vulnerabilities, with participants experiencing discrimination within public healthcare facilities, leading to preferences for private healthcare despite financial constraints. Migration affects South Asian women's healthcare experiences differently compared to men based on factors such as education, economic status, and length of residence in South Africa. The theoretical framework of transnational feminism and clinical sociology offers insight into the complex negotiations these women undertake to manage cultural preservation and healthcare access, revealing patterns of agency and resistance within structural constraints.
The participants actively negotiate and construct their healthcare experiences through cultural adaptation and strategic decision-making. Through supportive relationships, information-seeking behaviours, and advocacy efforts, they demonstrate resilience in overcoming systemic barriers. The findings reveal that participants exercise agency in healthcare navigation while operating within cultural and structural limitations. The study presents a better understanding of how migrant women's healthcare experiences are shaped by the intersection of multiple social identities and systems of power, offering useful information to enable the development of more culturally responsive and equitable healthcare services in the future.