As the world observes Mental Health Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued fresh guidelines that underscore the ongoing challenges faced by mentally ill individuals despite existing legal protections.
These guidelines, released in conjunction with the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), call upon nations to overhaul their legislation in order to eliminate human rights violations and enhance access to high-quality mental health care.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, emphasized, “Mental health is an integral and essential component of the right to health.” He added, “This new guidance will assist countries in making the necessary changes to provide quality mental health care that supports a person’s recovery while preserving their dignity.
It empowers individuals with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities to lead fulfilling and healthy lives within their communities.”
While the involuntary hospitalization and forced treatment of individuals with mental illness has been a widespread practice, the new guidelines advocate for an end to such methods. They argue that a growing body of evidence indicates that coercive practices have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health, often exacerbating existing conditions and isolating individuals from their support networks.
The guidelines propose legislative measures that prioritize free and informed consent as the foundation for all mental health-related interventions. Furthermore, they offer guidance on handling more complex and challenging cases within the framework of legislation and policies without resorting to coercive practices.
Additionally, the new guidelines promote community-based mental healthcare, aligning with recent research from various countries that has demonstrated better healing outcomes with this approach.
Therefore, the guidelines recommend that countries adopt legislation gradually phasing out psychiatric institutions in favor of inclusive community support systems and mainstream services, including income support, housing assistance, and peer support networks.
Discussing these guidelines, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized that mental health services must genuinely cater to the needs and dignity of the individual.
To that end, they have developed a checklist that countries can use to assess the compliance of their local mental health-related legislation with international human rights obligations.
In addition to legal reforms, WHO experts underscore the importance of involving individuals with lived experience and their representative organizations in the process of assisting those dealing with mental illness to recover or improve their quality of life. They also emphasize the significance of public education and awareness on rights-based issues.