Building Stronger Communities
Community Health Report 2020:
The case for mental health support for digital rights defenders
The 2020 Community Health Report is a first-of-its kind publication that provides a snapshot of the health and wellbeing of digital rights networks around the world. The report also offers insight into the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the mental health of these digital rights networks in the last year.
What is the digital rights community?
The digital rights community includes grassroots activists, journalists, human rights defenders, open source technologists, privacy and security advocates and researchers from over 130 countries. They are subjected to, or fighting against the most acute forms of online surveillance, censorship and digital attacks, all designed to further marginalize and silence them.
Urgent need for psychosocial support services
Our research clearly indicates that this community is facing harder challenges with less support. They are facing unprecedented levels of stress which are contributing to a decline in mental health, the inability to work, and a rise in unhealthy community dynamics. The report highlights an urgent need for both psychosocial support and conflict resolution resources. Without these it's unclear how resilient the digital rights community will remain in coming years. As a result, we will be offering psychosocial support services in coming months for community members.
Where do we go from here
While the findings are stark, we believe that we can pull through this by focusing on healing together. We hope this report will validate the experiences of digital rights defenders, while providing an evidence base for organizational leaders and decision makers, so they can better strategize and design solutions that help the people they serve become more resilient.
Thank you for being an amazing community. We have each other and that is quite a lot. Please let us know if we can do anything to help or if you just need an ear.
View the data
Dig deeper into the statistics of the report.
Nearly 280 people who identify as being part of the Internet freedom or digital rights space participated in this research. Through a series of survey questions (PDF), we asked individuals to rate the impact of stressors such as protests/revolutions, economic collapse, racial injustices, toxic workplaces, and the global pandemic on their lives. See what the data captured.
Support psychosocial care
Help us turn a negative narrative into a beautiful story of solidarity.
We need your support to turn this negative narrative into a beautiful story of solidarity. By the end of 2022, we are trying to raise $50,000 to address the need for psychosocial care for the digital rights community. We will use this investment to design diverse mental health services including self-care group sessions, psycho-educational workshops, and one-to-one check-ins with community members most in need. We will pay particular attention to those from the most marginalized communities.
Gratitude
This report involved behind-the-scenes work of many organisations and individuals to whom we are enormously grateful.
Thank you, to the following organisations, who provided us with the financial contribution to make this report a reality.
To Raahat Currim and Sharon Leese: so much appreciation for your editorial expertise and creative vision.
To the many digital right defenders and activists for giving us your time and opening your hearts to take part in this report: thank you for trusting us with your stories.
To our glittery community members who continue to awe us with their intelligence, compassion, and strength: you all deserve the best in the world, and a long vacation. Remember, this too shall pass.
To the Internet freedom and digital rights communities fighting to exist and share their truths and realities, you are not alone. We, and countless other groups throughout the world, stand in solidarity with you.
Team CommUNITY
Made with glitter.
Housed at ARTICLE 19