A spiritually orientated (self-)care approach to human rights

Abstract

In recent years, there have been significant challenges to women’s rights. In addition to external attacks, internal challenges include a dichotomous, oppositional and gendered framework of human rights, as well as the problem of burnout and trauma in the field. Feminists have been addressing these problems by offering a reconceptualisation of rights, developing the concept of spiritual activism, emphasising the power of erotics and pleasure in activism, as well as incorporating self- and collective-care practices. Taking into account feminist contributions and work that still needs to be done, as well as my own personal experiences in the fields of human rights, self-development and spirituality, in this article I engage with the concept of care and spirituality to propose changes in the conceptualisation and practices of human rights, with a view to developing a feminist spiritually orientated (self-)care approach to human rights.