Feminist, Youth-led Collective in India Contributing to Mental Health Response

Given strict lockdown measures, youth are deprived of social connections that contribute to a feeling of belonging. Youth Voices Count stresses that this social connectedness is important for LGBTQ youth, as these spaces provide supporting and accepting environments that help prevent suicide ideation and attempts due to social exclusion.

COVID-19 has significantly impacted the lives of LGBTQ youth, especially opportunities for social interaction, economic activities, and work.¹ While COVID-19 is seen as being especially harmful to those over 60, young people are also experiencing negative impacts due to mitigation measures that cause distress. For example, about 750 million young people live in Asia Pacific. In a recent survey and report, Youth Voices Count—an Asia-Pacific network of young LGBTQ individuals working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), youth empowerment, and human rights issues—documented that many of these youths are experiencing a significant lack of social engagement, constrained living spaces, and lack of work. At the same time, security responses and austerity measures against COVID-19 have significantly deepened LGBTQ stigma and discrimination in the region. These circumstances hit LGBTQ youth particularly hard.

Given strict lockdown measures, youth are deprived of social connections that contribute to a feeling of belonging. Youth Voices Count stresses that this social connectedness is important for LGBTQ youth, as these spaces provide supporting and accepting environments that help prevent suicide ideation and attempts due to social exclusion. Half of youth respondents to a recent survey reported that their mental health had been affected by the pandemic, and that they felt unsafe and worried. 70% reported higher vulnerability towards family members, which could include coming out to a family member or disagreeing with family due to sexual orientation or gender identity. Most mental health services have moved online, but accessing these services can be challenging, either due to bandwidth, cost obstacles, or because private space to connect to these services isn’t available at home.

To respond, several youth-led organizations have started supporting LGBTQ youth online, especially those in lockdown or stranded in unsafe environments. One Future Collective, a feminist youth-led NGO in India, has a mission to nurture radical kindness through gender justice, feminist leadership, and mental health. In its COVID response programming, it has ramped up efforts to address domestic violence and GBV by creating a guide on “Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence during COVID-19,” which outlines what bystanders, government officials, lawyers, survivors, and other actors can do to contribute to the safety and protection of youth survivors of domestic violence. Tied to this guide, the NGO has also extended the hours of its FemJustice Legal Aid helpline for legal and mental health support to survivors.

The organization has moved all of its e-learning certificate classes online and is directing 25% of all proceeds from these courses to COVID relief work. It has also created Virtual Community Spaces that provide weekly meetup opportunities for youth to feel less lonely and learn together, free of charge. One Future Collective has expanded its digital advocacy efforts by creating printable materials and social media shareables on COVID-19, ways to support survivors, workplace responsibilities during the pandemic, mental health during the pandemic, and many more. Finally, the organization connects people and youth directly to mental health professionals for pro bono and paid services as requested.

1 This case study is based on efforts documented by Youth Voices Count in their report: Coping with COVID: The Well-Bring of LGBTIQ Adolescents and Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asia and the Pacific. June 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342509403_CopingWithCOVID_The_Well-being_of_LGBTIQ_Adolescents_and_Youth_during_the_COVID-19_Pandemic_in_Asia_and_the_Pacific