Care and territorial inequality: structural barriers for women caregivers of persons with disabilities in rural settings

Abstract

This article analyzes the structural barriers faced by women caregivers of persons with disabilities in a rural Paraguayan context, from a perspective that integrates the care economy and the social model of disability. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach with a non-experimental, cross-sectional design. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six primary women caregivers residing in the community of Cabañas, Cordillera Department. Thematic analysis identified three central categories: everyday care practices, structural barriers and female overload, and limited access to institutional resources and services. The findings reveal that care constitutes an intensive, continuous, and feminized activity shaped by territorial and economic inequalities. The insufficiency of social protection systems and the limited state presence in rural areas shift the responsibility of care to the family sphere, reinforcing its privatization and generating economic dependency and emotional strain for women. The study concludes that care must be recognized as a collective responsibility and a central axis of social justice, requiring comprehensive public policies with a gender-sensitive and territorial approach.