“Gestalt Notebook” for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Protection International Mesoamerica has produced a “Gestalt Notebook” for the work of protecting women human rights defenders. This publication arose from need to remotely accompany networks of defenders within their territories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The publication contains exercises that aim to respond to the experiences, thoughts and emotions of the defenders from home in the face of the events that are taking place in the territories and the context of COVID-19. The exercises will be monitored remotely by Protection International technical staff for two months, helping the defenders to carry out the exercises in sessions with groups of 5 to 8 defenders.

Gestalt techniques encourage us to understand that the ideas we may have of the past or the future is rather due to how we live in the present. Therefore, we must consider our personal growth, become aware of who we are, what we feel and need, and act accordingly.