Educating community health agents to face gender violence: Contributions from popular education and feminist pedagogy

Abstract

Partial results of an action research that investigated gender violence in the Family Health Program are presented. Special attention was given to the Community Health Agents, considered as strategic actors in the assistance provided for women who are involved in violent relationships. Among the research and educational activities that were developed, workshops were held to discuss research results with the Community Health Agents. Taking popular education and feminist pedagogy as conceptual premises, we concluded that the workshops represented a useful political-pedagogic resource that facilitated a fertile dialogue between academia and health services. In addition, they offered visibility and recognition to the Community Health Agents’ voices and also to their rich life and work experiences, contributing to a collective construction of knowledge that strengthens a praxis committed to transformations in health assistance and in the broader social relations.