Addressing South Asian health inequities in Canada: Confronting power and privilege for inclusive and healthy communities through Anti-Oppression Training Project (SAAOP)
Background
Purpose
Funders
The purpose of this project is three-fold:
Explore in what ways does power and privilege manifest in interactions between and within South Asian groups and its influence on health inequities.
Build solidarity within the SA settler diaspora with a collective call to action.
Understand what is needed in a South Asian anti-oppression training to ensure it works towards cultural safety.
We are approaching this project with a critical realist and feminist lens, which means that we are acknowledging that knowledge is socially and historically situated and ensuring that we center the voices of participants throughout this project using their language, terms of expressions and lived experiences.
Considering, South Asian (SA) settler diaspora communities are one of the largest and fastest growing visible minority groups in Canada and highly concentrated in regions of Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, there is a lack of research available that investigates the intersectionality within the diaspora and how power and privilege functions within the diaspora.
Recognizing the heterogeneity present in the SA settler diaspora and how experiences differ based on social identity and location, we are proposing this project to explore SA identifying individuals’ perspectives regarding what inequities they have experienced or witnessed and how power and privilege in the SA diaspora operates in Canada.
Project Structure
The project includes a South Asian Advisory Board (SAAB) that serves in an advisory and supportive capacity. The SAAB brings together individuals from a range of disciplines and experiences to:
Make recommendations on health inequity topics we can explore with diverse stakeholders; and
Keep the team of investigators accountable for the work being done.
There are three sub-components to this project that match with each of the above purpose statements:
Qualitative Research Project
In what ways does power and privilege manifest in interactions between and within South Asian groups and its influence on health inequities?
Future Search
Action for mobilizing the South Asian diaspora to address SA power dynamics on health inequities.
Developing a South Asian anti-oppression training
Grant mobilization for developing and piloting SA anti-oppression training.
This project is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
We are currently conducting interviews with South Asian identifying individuals to have a conversation on topics such as: their experiences in healthcare and social systems, identity, belongingness, power and privilege.
Method: Qualitative description.
Data collection: Semi-structured interviews.
Analysis: Thematic analysis.
We are virtually hosting a series of workshops!
DATE: April 18, 20, 25, and 27
TIME: 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. EST.
Purpose: To regroup South Asians in Canada in one room and engage in ways we can mobilize the South Asian diaspora to address South Asian power dynamics on health inequities
This phase of the project will build on the findings from the qualitative research and Future Search.
One of our aims for this phase is to create a South Asian collective that would be interested in future efforts to develop and pilot a South Asian anti-oppression training.
If you are interested, click below to send us an e-mail!
Logo designed by Hamna Akhter and Maryam Parvez.
