Close Encounters Stories From The Frontline Of Human Rights Work In Nepal

During Nepal's armed conflict and its aftermath, human rights violations not only scarred and destroyed the victims but had a devastating effect on the lives of human rights defenders. In stories and pictures, ten of them describe the fear, and the anger and the helplessness they experienced on being confronted with the trauma of their clients and the impunity for the perpetrators. The stories starkly reveal how alone and alienated the authors often felt, battling a tense and demanding work environment amid threats to their lives, while at home they found themselves too emotionally numb to participate in their own family lives. This commentary helps us understand the psychological dimension of the human rights defenders experiences, while drawing parallels between their deeply personal stories and the experience of many who work with and support victims of political violence all over the world.