Education, work, and the production of vulnerability: experiences of women with visual impairments in China

Women with visual impairments often experience compounded disadvantages at the intersection of gender and disability, yet research examining these dynamics in specific social and institutional contexts remains limited. Drawing on qualitative data from China, this study explores how barriers in education and employment create vulnerability and constrain autonomy among women with visual impairments. Seven women aged 25–40 with work experience participated in semi-structured interviews conducted remotely. The findings indicate that early vocationalisation, restricted access to tertiary education, and channelled career pathways contributed to structural precarity and socially produced vulnerability, while gendered expectations further constrained agency. At the same time, participants described strategies for navigating constraints and exercising agency within existing limitations. These findings underscore the importance of context-sensitive approaches to inclusive education, employment diversification, and social recognition in efforts to enhance protection, autonomy, and empowerment for women with visual impairments within specific institutional settings in China.