ABSTRACT
Occupational therapists view humans as occupational beings and participation in dignified and meaningful occupations as essential to well-being at an individual level, and social and economic inclusion at a population level. In Africa, patterns of occupational engagement have been affected by historical events such as colonialization, apartheid and dictatorship, which have had significant and ongoing implications throughout the continent over time, especially in terms of equity of access and participation. For some sub-populations of people, for example, forensic patients in treatment settings, opportunities for societal participation are even further delimited due to mandatory legislated confinement. Despite this, and the fact that forensic occupational therapy services are scarce in Africa due to resourcing constraints, those that exist have generally evolved over the decades and refined their models of practice. This has included an overt moral commitment to the advancement of occupational justice in which forensic patients’ opportunities for occupational participation – despite systemic and environmental restrictions – are foregrounded. In this chapter we explore what occupational justice is, identify some forms of occupational injustice including occupational deprivation and imbalance, and illustrate how occupational therapy services can reduce real barriers to participation through promoting basic human and occupational rights.
