MHE key activities in the field of Human Rights
MHE work in the field of non discrimination
Given that the stigma attached to mental health problems that leads to discrimination is still prevalent and wide ranging, non-discrimination activities are a crucial part of MHE's work in the field of human rights.
MHE was involved in a EU wide study on multiple discrimination. The study, 'Tackling multiple discrimination - Practices, policies and laws' was commissioned by the European Commission and carried out by the Danish Institute for Human Rights . The main purpose was to identify effects of multiple discrimination, to analyse how the different actors involved in the fight against discrimination tackle it, to highlight good practice and prepare recommendations on how situations of multiple discrimination could best be addressed.
MHE had also expressed its concerns regarding the exclusion of people with mental health problems from the scope of the new EC proposal for an antidiscrimination directive. In a letter addressed to President Barroso, MHE asked the European Commission to fully address the specificities of discrimination faced by persons with mental health problems, their families and carers. MHE supports the report adopted by the European Parliament including a large definition of disability as provided in the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabilities. MHE sent a letter to the members of EPP Group at the European Parliament, underlining the importance of the adoption of such a report in order to outcome a directive with a large scope of grounds on which people can be discriminated against.
MHE involvement in the work of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency
MHE was involved and contributed to the consultations on the Fundamental Rights Agency's (FRA) civil society cooperation. MHE stressed the importance of ensuring that organisations from the mental health field would be represented in the Fundamental Rights Platform , i.e. the official cooperation network created to ensure a structured and fruitful dialogue and close cooperation between the FRA and all relevant civil society stakeholders.
MHE was represented at the FRA consultative meeting with civil society on the setting up of the Fundamental Rights Platform, which took place in Brussels on 10-11 December 2007. MHE has also been officially invited to become a participant of the Platform.
MHE participated as member of the Fundamental Rights Platform in its first meeting on 7-8 October 2008 in Vienna (Austria) as well as in the second meeting in May 2009.
In preparation to this meeting, MHE responded to the FRA consultation on its draft work programme 2009 and its annual report of 2008. In its response, MHE underlined several direct threats to human rights for people with mental health problems and pleaded for the Agency to focus its attention on the human rights aspects of mental health. MHE participated to the elaboration of the Fundamental Rights Agency Work Programme for 2010 in February 2009. The focus had to be put on the working methods of the Fundamental Rights Agency when leading projects. (research and analysis, awareness raising and communication, networking and education). In its response, MHE encouraged the Agency to take into account and to raise awareness about the benefits of an inclusive society even when financial or social crisis occurs. MHE encouraged the FRA to launch campaigns regarding discrimination towards people with mental health problems.
MHE has been collaborating in 2009 (ongoing collaboration) with the Fundamental Rights Agency on the project on Fundamental Rights of People with Mental Health Problems and Fundamental Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities. The project has been divided into two parts taking place in 2009-2010. The first part of the project focuses on the development of a legal study to examine existing legal and other instruments, policies, measures and practices for the protection, promotion and respect of the rights of persons with mental health problems and persons with disabilities focusing particularly on whether or to which extent mentally ill people are considered legally disabled, and therefore benefit from the prohibition of discrimination. In 2010, the Agency will develop a sociological study of the situation of people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems across the EU, bringing together data and information from official and unofficial sources, as well as academic research. The project is currently undertaken and MHE has been invited twice to bring its contribution to the attention of the Agency.
Improving the human rights situation of people with mental health problems.
In 2006, MHE joined in with the Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI) to call upon the Romanian Government and the European Commission to put a stop to the abuses and mistreatment of children in Romanian mental institutions. Reacting to the MDRI report, titled 'Hidden suffering: Romania's segregation and abuse of infants and children with disabilities ', MHE expressed its support to MDRI's conclusions and recommendations and made its own policy recommendations .
In 2007-2008, MHE was consulted and involved in the drafting process of the European Parliament Report on the situation of fundamental rights in the European Union 2004-2007 . MHE sent a contribution to the rapporteur in charge of the report, MEP Giusto Catania, stressing how alarming the human rights situation of people with mental health problems is in several EU countries.
Patients' rights, involuntary treatment and forced hospitalisation
In the frame of its 2006 Seminar, 'The EC Green Paper on Mental Health: Time for Action', MHE organised a debate around involuntary treatment in the community .
MHE also published recommendations on patients' access to information and participated in the first European Patients' Rights Day, organised on 29 March 2007 in the European Parliament (Brussels) by the Active Citizenship Network (ACN). On this occasion, the European Charter of Patients' Rights , drafted by the ACN together with civic organisations in Europe, was presented. The European Charter of Patients' Rights states 14 patients' rights that altogether aim to guarantee a "high level of human health protection" (Article 35 of the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union) and ensure the high quality of services provided by the various national health services in Europe.
The second European Patients' Rights Day took place on 18 April 2008 in Gorizia (Italy).
MHE is currently working on the launch of a survey on the situation of seclusion and restraints in EU countries in order to map good/"bad" practices in the field of protection of human rights when people in psychiatrics are secluded.
MHE collaborates with other European NGOs committed to the improvement of the fundamental rights and liberties of European citizens, such as the European Disability Forum and the Social Platform .
