Mental health problems in Taiwan from a gender and anti-oppressive perspective: a human right issue

Introduction In the perspectives of social model for disability and mental health, anti-oppression and human rights are emphasized; the rights of persons with disabilities and mental health problems to equality, freedom,... [ view full abstract ]

Introduction
In the perspectives of social model for disability and mental health, anti-oppression and human rights are emphasized; the rights of persons with disabilities and mental health problems to equality, freedom, safety and social inclusions should be ensured and protected. How can social model be implemented in patriarchal social contexts that the regulations are different from those of social model? It needs more research currently. This study aims to examine the gender issues of disability and mental health problems in Asian cultures (Taiwan) that are patriarchal and gender inequality are still prevalent.
Methodology
Case study was adopted in this study. Two females were selected to be the cases and voluntarily participated in this study. One case was a Taiwanese female suffered from Schizophrenia; the other case was a female carer who came from a south Asian country to care for a Taiwanese man with multiple disabilities. In-depth interviews, observations and documents were adopted to collect data. A holistic analysis was adopted to analyze data.
Results
In Taiwanese context which is characterized by patriarchal values mental health problems are considered to be different from physical illnesses. Therefore the ways of dealing with disability or mental health problems are different across genders. I will firstly present the care paradigms of disabilities and mental health in Taiwan. Follows the illustration of how Taiwanese women who experience mental health problems are trapped in an oppressive system constituted by gender inequalities, economic difficulties and mentalism. It also shows how migration and transnational marriage had a profound impact on the care work for people with mental health and disabilities in Taiwan. By analyzing the situations in the perspective of anti-oppression practice and human rights, it is anticipated to draw implications for future actions with the aim of enhancing the well-being of Taiwanese women.