Grant: Doctoral Research Award -PA: Research in First Nations, Métis &/or Inuit Health

Supervisors: Dr. Renee Monchalin, University of Victoria; Dr. Astrid Pinan Perez, University of Victoria. This doctoral research is designed to address the critical barriers to culturally safe reproductive health care access for Indigenous individuals and families in British Columbia (BC) and across Canada. Despite widespread availability of reproductive services and programs within mainstream healthcare in Canada, there remains substantial safety and access barriers for Indigenous Peoples. These challenges are compounded by experiences of harm, coercion, and cultural insensitivity for Indigenous individuals when accessing care. This research leverages findings from a SSHRC-funded study and strengthens partnerships with Indigenous communities and reproductive health organizations with the goal of translating Indigenous matriarchal knowledges into actionable recommendations that enhance culturally safe reproductive health policy and practice in BC. Key objectives include 1) Increasing access to ethical, safe, and relevant reproductive health services for Indigenous Peoples in BC; 2) Co-development of a Cultural Safety Credential to enhance the cultural competence of reproductive healthcare providers serving Indigenous communities in BC and across Canada. This research seeks to create impact by upholding the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples to a supportive and culturally safe health system that empowers individuals to be self-determining in their reproductive wellness. This project is committed to the co-creation of culture- and context-specific knowledge translation and mobilization to improve health outcomes and systems for Indigenous peoples in BC and beyond.