Human Rights and supporting mental health challenges

Emerging Proud was launched with the vision of being a Human Rights campaign – part of a wider movement to re- frame ‘out of the ordinary experiences’ as potential catalysts for transformation, if appropriately supported.

What constitutes ‘appropriate support’ for such complex experiences which can’t yet be defined? We are starting to get answers which build a bridge to mainstream services for people who chose to frame their experiences outside of the medical model.

In 2012, the World Health Organisation (WHO) created the QualityRights Initiative. This global programme is working to improve the quality of care provided to people with mental health challenges and to promote the human rights of people with mental health conditions, psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Its approach to care and support is rights-based and recovery-oriented. Freedom from coercive interventions, respect for the right to informed consent, and the promotion of autonomy, choice, community inclusion and recovery are at the core of this programme.

Changes in legislation which impact the future of implementing more holistic MH service provision

Last week, Michelle Funk, Head of the Policy, Law and Human Rights Unit at the WHO, gave a talk on ‘Re-imagining Mental Health Services’ at the Research into Recovery conference, Nottingham, UK.

The implementation of the Articles for the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (we’ll ignore that languaging for now) (CRPD) has been ratified across multiple countries, meaning the legal necessity to reform mental health policies, legislation and support provision in line with human rights standards.

The CRPD rights, most relevant to mental health are:

• Article 12: Legal capacity and supported decision making (more empowerment for service users to chose their treatment)
• Article 14: Liberty and Security of a person (this article calls for an end to involuntary detention / hospitalisation)
• Article 19: independent Community Living (more holistic service available within community settings)
• Article 25: An equitable Right to Health

The WHO has recommendations for scaling- up rights- based services, including for those who frame experiences beyond the bio- medical model

This indicates a paradigm shift to more holistic service provision

Oct 9th 11.30am UK / 12.30pm CEST will see the launch of the Joint WHO/OHCHR guidance and practice on mental health, human rights and legislation – sign up for free to take part here.

The WHO provides free online training to improve understanding about mental health, tackle stigma and discrimination and improve the way in which we provide services and support to people with mental health conditions or psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities (including alternative framing for ‘out of the ordinary’ experiences which result in MH challenges).

You can take the free e-training in Human Rights and MH law here: https://humanrights-etrain-qualityrights.coorpacademy.com/ 

Hold tight everyone, it’s time to emerge into the dawn of a new paradigm together ❤