Intersectional Barriers to Safe Maternal Healthcare for Refugee Women in Urban South Africa

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 9, August 2026 | pp. 201–208

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001273

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Intersectional Barriers to Safe Maternal Healthcare for Refugee Women in Urban South Africa

Names of Authors: Dr. Thandiwe L. Sibanda¹, Prof. Nomvula Z. Khumalo¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract:
Refugee and asylum-seeking women face unique vulnerabilities when navigating foreign healthcare structures. This study evaluates the intersectional barriers, institutional discrimination, and quality of maternal healthcare services accessed by female migrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Utilizing a cross-sectional facility survey of 350 migrant mothers, alongside 25 narrative interviews, the research maps the clinical access index. The quantitative findings indicate that 72% of respondents experienced severe medical xenophobia, characterized by verbal abuse, delayed treatment, and unlawful financial demands by clinic administrative staff. Logistic regression analysis reveals that a lack of formal documentation increased the likelihood of being denied emergency obstetric care by 5.5 times (p < 0.01), directly violating statutory constitutional protections. The thematic analysis of patient narratives shows that language barriers and cultural isolation worsen maternal anxiety, leading to a 40% higher rate of unmonitored home deliveries compared to local citizens. Furthermore, public health providers frequently display structural biases, falsely accusing foreign women of overburdening domestic welfare systems. The study concludes that standard maternal health policies fail to protect vulnerable migrant populations due to a lack of institutional oversight. We recommend implementing mandatory anti-xenophobia training for clinical staff, deploying multilingual community health navigators, and establishing anonymous compliance reporting portals at all municipal clinics.

Keywords: Maternal Healthcare, Refugee Women, Medical Xenophobia, Intersectionality, Health Equity, South Africa

Manuscript Timeline: Received: April 05, 2026; Revised: June 15, 2026; Accepted: July 18, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026.

Citation: Sibanda, T. L., & Khumalo, N. Z. (2026). Intersectional Barriers to Safe Maternal Healthcare for Refugee Women in Urban South Africa. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(9), 201–208. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001273

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