This Major Research Paper (MRP) critically investigates the inadequate relationships between healthcare and social welfare organizations and Panjabi communities in Canada, exposing the colonial foundations that continue to perpetuate systemic marginalization. Present services fail to adequately address the long-standing presence of intergenerational trauma, community-driven practices, and language and access barriers. The provision of translated materials in Panjabi (Gurmukhi) constitutes a reactive approach that perpetuates the illusion of liberation, rather than offering comprehensive care. Despite strategic plans that profess to provide equitable healthcare for all, the Canadian healthcare and social welfare systems remain entrenched in deeply rooted colonial practices that oppress marginalized voices.
This MRP presents the Panjabi-Centred Design (PCD) Framework, a culturally-responsive approach that confronts the unique needs and experiences of the Panjabi diaspora within the Canadian healthcare and social welfare systems. By fusing traditional Panjabi values and practices with contemporary design methodologies, the PCD Framework strives to cultivate equity, inclusivity, and well-being for Panjabi communities. The research emphasizes the importance of contemplating factors such as intergenerational trauma, generational family structures, and language barriers in devising proactive solutions while advocating for the dismantling of prevailing reactive and half-measured approaches.
The PCD Framework ultimately aspires to achieve transgressive liberation for Panjabi communities and other marginalized populations by contesting colonial practices, holding healthcare authorities accountable, and nurturing community engagement and empowerment.