Conclusion: Reflections of the editors

This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book discusses the intersectionality of disability, gender and violence over the life course. It shows how the act of giving birth to a disabled child in indigenous mothers in Australia, results in racialised stigmatisation of being a ‘bad mother’. The book brings an Icelandic perspective, argues that experiencing oppression over a lifetime can lead to internalised oppression for disabled women, where messages about being inferior and abnormal or belonging to a group that is stigmatised. It illuminates the impacts of Malaysian culture on the disabled women who took part in her study. The book draws out the inter sectionality of racism, sexism and disablism. It reports on an empirical study from South Africa where disabled women’s stories highlight violence and impairment intersect with poverty. The book highlights the significant challenges in eradicating discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion of older people.