Care, both self and collective, has become even more relevant given the worldwide pandemic. Many existing community spaces around the work had to close their doors, or reinvent themselves online. Feelings of isolation and anxiety have increased for many, and safety practitioners are now working to address a host of new human rights abuses and digital concerns with the constraint of working remotely.
Well-being and psycho-social support for practitioners has increasingly become a popular topic in recent years, with dedicated workshops and conversations at events like Internet Freedom Festival and RightsCon. Our communitie(s) are finally acknowledging that this work is draining, and potentially traumatizing depending on where you work, and who you work alongside.
Dhyta Caturani, Sandra Ljubinkovic, and Shubha Kayastha facilitated a call in April 2020 and shared their reflections and recommendations on how activists can organise self-care and collective care in these challenging times.
Care looks very different for every person. Some examples shared on the call are:
It is a common phenomenon that activists feel they don’t have the time to take breaks because the people they support are always in need. Many express feelings of selfishness or guilt for taking time for themselves. The terminology around self-care has also been co opted by businesses, making it synonymous with spending money. Some cultures see therapy or other forms of self-care as superfluous. Reframing care so it is meaningful for you and your community, is critical.
Here are more notes from the call and other community resources with advice on self-care: