Apropriação e participação de pessoas com deficiência no espaço urbano: um estudo na cidade de Lavras – MG

Abstract

This thesis aimed to understand the processes that hinder the appropriation and participation of people with disabilities (PwD) in the production and reproduction of the urban space of Lavras, Minas Gerais, in light of the right to the city and anchored in the perspective of the social model of disability. An analysis was conducted of the narratives of 19 PwD (physical and visual). Based on the central categories of appropriation and participation, the research was divided into six subcategories, three for each. In the category of appropriation, the subcategories identified were: accessibility, interpersonal relationships, and dependency and intersectionality. In the category of participation, the subcategories were: formal spaces of participation, individual claims, and lived experience. The results demonstrate that the lack of accessibility in the city prevents PwD from fully experiencing their urban space, transforming it into a place full of barriers and limitations. The obstacles faced in the city's structure range from urban mobility problems to the lack of accessibility in public and private spaces. Thus, PwD face difficulties both in reaching the same places as people without disabilities, and, upon arriving, in dealing with a series of barriers that continue to hinder their access. This generates different feelings that lead to a perception of not belonging to the urban environment. Interpersonal relationships play a crucial role in the urban experience of PwD, where social dynamics permeated by ableism limit the experience of the possibilities that the urban space offers. These barriers lead many PwD to confine themselves to their homes or to need companions to go out. The results also address the importance of formal spaces of participation, such as the Municipal Council for the Rights of People with Disabilities (COMDEF) and the Center for Education and Support for Auditory and Visual Needs (CENAV). Individual claims are a reflection of how the burden of monitoring barriers falls on PwD who, frequently, are forced to adopt a combative stance and, in many cases, resort to the courts to guarantee their basic rights. Finally, the experience of disability influences people's participation in urban life. While people without disabilities tend to ignore or minimize accessibility barriers, the experience of living with a disability alters this perspective not only for PwD but also for those who live with them and share their difficulties. In line with the social model of disability, this study demonstrates that the main barriers are not in the limitations of these people, but in physical, social, and political obstacles that restrict their access to urban space. The study concludes that, for PwD to become co-creators of the urban environment, their inclusion in decisions that impact their lives is fundamental, as well as the action of the public power, aiming at the fulfillment of the rights already conquered by these people. A way to do this would be to strengthen institutions such as CENAV, expanding its services to serve all types of disabilities.