Episode 1 is the listener’s introduction to the ‘why’ and ‘how’ DWC was thought of and planned. Featuring two of the team members, Anjli and Yara. In this episode, you will learn about the vision behind DWC, and what it meant to hold space for human rights defenders centered in care and wellbeing, and rooted in mutuality. You will also hear about the design process and how mental health and holistic security experts were consulted from the start to ensure facilitators are equipped with the necessary tools to respond to any issues that rise during the group’s meetings.

Episode 2 is a conversation about how our native language(s) tell more stories and brings emotional layers of our lived experiences that  English simplifies. Featuring Selma Zaki, this episode speaks about defining care and self-care from a non-Western, intersectional perspective. It explores sustainable care practices and draws on our diverse cultures to define what self-care really means.

Selma Zaki is a psychotherapist, community mental health advocate and researcher working at the intersection of clinical practice, community care, and narrative change. Her clinical background spans private practice and institutional settings in New York, London and Lebanon with a focus on supporting individuals and communities navigating distress, burnout and trauma. 

Beyond one-on-one therapy, Selma’s work centers on building projects for collective healing. As Director of the Community Mental Health Program at Team CommUNITY (2020–2023), she designed and implemented mental health support for digital rights activists globally, informed by her research on their unique needs (Community Health Report, 2021). Earlier, she founded LEZEM in Lebanon – a youth initiative using arts for civic engagement  and In Fluency at Columbia University, a platform examining how political injustice shapes global mental health. Together, these projects reflect her commitment to community mental health by examining and addressing the connection between the political and the personal through creative and participatory approaches. She is currently launching Sila, a community-based initiative that weaves together storytelling and psychoanalysis to explore how political contexts shape relational health in the Arab world.

At the core of Selma’s approach is a belief that healing requires both introspection and honest dialogue about the forces that shape us; whether in therapy rooms, research, or community spaces. https://www.selmazaki.com/

Internal movement conflict can be especially painful because it involves people who share a deep commitment. Episode 3 addresses how one can face conflict with courage, think about accountability beyond ‘cancel culture’, and offers tools for repair and responsibility.

This episode features Shuhrat Saidov, a human rights defender, photographer, and curator with a background in law. Working in the fields of public health and human rights, Shuhrat advocates for and promotes human rights across Tajikistan. His work aims to use both art and law to advance human rights, gender equality, tolerance, feminism, and gender diversity.

Shuhrat | HRRP 

Financial wellness, a topic often overlooked or considered taboo in activist circles, is crucial for sustainable movement work, and ignoring it comes at a significant cost, especially for human rights defenders in the Global South. Episode 4 looks into myths around money, wealth, and scarcity that activists may have, and discusses sustainable financial practices, even with limited income and without shame. The episode also highlights the vital role that collective care and mutual aid play in this transformation.

The episode features Salome Nduta and Thiyagaraja Waradas.

Salome Nduta is a committed Woman Human Rights Defender, feminist, and gender expert with over nine years of experience advancing the protection and empowerment of activists in Kenya. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Women Human Rights Defenders Hub—Kenya’s only national organization dedicated to supporting women advocates through holistic safety, security, and movement-building initiatives.

Thiyagaraja Waradas is a Sri Lankan academic and activist with extensive experience in peacebuilding, human rights, gender and sexualities, and development practice. A leading advocate for sexual and gender justice, he helped decentralize Sri Lanka’s LGBT rights movement and co‑founded the country’s first LGBT welfare fund in 2018.  

As an activist, one often grapples with feelings of isolation—be it emotional, political, or geographical—and questions the source and impact of this solitude. Episode 5 explores DWC as a space that brought together individuals from diverse countries, languages, and struggles, providing a unique “global-ness” collective. The episode features Aras Örgen who reflects on these issues and share personal and collective care practices from his journey, and takeaways from DWC.  

Aras is a Capacity Strengthening Specialist at ORAM. Previously, they gained experience working with various human rights organizations, primarily focused on LGBTIQ rights. Aras recently coordinated a well-being program for at-risk LGBTIQ+ human rights defenders in Turkey while advocating for SOGIESC equality on the global stage. Aras is also a consultant for enhancing organizational resilience and well-being for civil society organizations.