[The Coop] Bodies At Risk: A report on front-line workers & field work in lockdown
All hail the frontline worker
Come rain, come shine, come covid, come lockdown, come unlock… the NGO field worker has been out there. The work that they have done and the weight that they pulled in the midst of a global crisis has been beyond tremendous.Governments declared a host of services as ‘essential’ but did not guarantee access to those services. Injustice walked the road in broad daylight in front of a million cameras but the courts and the police not just failed but were routinely hostile.
Among those who had to step in was the frontline worker who connected vulnerable populations with the basics of survival. They delivered aid, rescued women & children at risk, stopped child marriages, worked in quarantine centers… their work had a significance much beyond the framework of relief. The work they performed during the lockdown were acts that restored justice & humanity.
And it must be acknowledged that in doing what they did in a pandemic, they put not just their bodies but also the bodies of their families and loved ones at risk.
Our rapid assessment report showcases how frontline fieldworkers in NGOs in Jharkhand, Odisha & Tripura are coping with the crises and collates their experiences & anxieties for the present & the future. This report would not have been possible without their grace and enthusiasm.
By the way, this is edition 10 of The Coop. As we are calling it – end of season 1. We will be back with fresh material in July. Until then – reruns & clip shows.
See you soon. Stay strong. Stay Safe. Much Love.
Frontline Workers
How are frontline NGO workers dealing with the evolving conditions under which they have to work? Has only the work changed or does the field itself feel different? ‘Bodies At Risk’ is a record of challenges, experiences, stark insights, powerful stories and voices as well as suggestions from field workers as to what organizations do to help them cope, feel more secure & thrive.
Social Sciences
Disturbing the Aesthetics of Power
Covid-19 has forced us to reckon with 1. the vulnerabilities of our bodies 2. the inequalities in society. Some bodies are more vulnerable than others. Even in supposedly neutral areas like the social sciences.One of the best things we have read this year and one that left a marked influence.
#RecogniseASHAs
ASHA workers have been pushed to the frontlines of India’s Covid response with no protective gear against Covid-19, no security despite repeated assaults and not even their wages in full. Follow Behanbox’s untiring efforts to amplify their issues here.
Pride Month
Rafiul from The Queer Muslim Project has curated the Digital Pride Festival for the British Council. It starts on the 15th. There’s film, webinars, roundtables, music, theater performances all coming directly to your screen of choice. Rafiul says it’s going to be excellent all around and we have absolutely no reason not to believe him. Check the schedule and do tune in.
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‘Bodies At Risk’ has been put together by Sawleha & Shefali with support from Teemol, Sudipta, Aarti, Uma & Sid.
That’s it for June. See You In July!
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