Abstract
Objective
to investigate the possibilities and challenges for the empowerment of socially vulnerable women living in the outskirts of a municipality located in the southern region of Brazil.
Method
a qualitative research, of participant action type, carried out through the Itinerary of Paulo Freire. It was operationalized in six Culture Circles, with the participation of twelve women between 18 and 79 years old, in a Basic Health Unit (BHU) of a municipality in southern Brazil, in the months of May to July 2019.
Results
In the first stage, 45 generating themes were identified, which were codified, decoded, and unveiled through dialogical action. Three themes were selected by the participants for discussion in the study: Facing the problem; Way of being; Caring for others.
Final considerations and implications for practice
the need for women to re-signify their lives was strengthened by proactive attitudes of change to face the adversities of everyday life. This study, based on Paulo Freire's assumptions, strengthened the empowerment and autonomy of these women, generating possibilities of transformations in their lives and in the spaces where they live.
Keywords:
Women's Health; Health Promotion; Personal Autonomy; Social Vulnerability; Empowerment