This article analyzes the dynamics of the process of compulsory separation of mothers from children in situations of vulnerability in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. We conducted a cartographic study to capture regimes of truth, practices of domination, and government strategies to control the lives of these women, who were predominantly poor and black. We used the following techniques: narratives of women in situations of vulnerability and health workers; interviews with key actors; document analysis; field diaries. We identified drivers of segregation embedded in everyday practices in health services and other social settings. It was possible to analyze the segregations determined by a hegemonic way of producing the world and to question certainties about the possibilities of life and motherhood. The findings shed light on the survival strategies used by these women and prompt reflection on the production of welcoming spaces for these people.
Keywords
Public policy; Social vulnerability; Maternity hospitals; Human rights