#WhatWENeed

A  new report  brings together evidence from around the world on preventing, reducing and ending coercion in mental health settings. The report, authored by Bernadette McSherry, Cath Roper, Flick Grey and myself, was commissioned by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to inform the work of the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, pursuant to the Human Rights Council. The report seeks to compile leading practices from around the world on alternatives to coercion, as well as to identify gaps in the research. Readers of this blog will know that the CRPD - the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - challenges governments to improve access to voluntary supports for persons with psychosocial disabilities and to end coercive interventions. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has unequivocally directed governments to eliminate detention and forced treatment on healthcare grounds as it violate...

#WhatWENeed in Taiwan 1. De-colonization of the mental health sector Taiwan was the first independent, Asian, democratic republic. However, it has had a complex history of colonialism, invasions and occupations by different nationalities (Dutch, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, etc.). "Taiwan's culture and cultural legacy has been largely shaped by the processes of imperialism and colonization as the structural and psychological effects of successive colonial projects have been integral to developing Taiwan’s self-image and the evolution of both official and unofficial Taiwanese culture"(1). History goes that the British refused a proposal to occupy Taiwan. So, the country escaped having pre-human rights lunacy laws. 2. Full CRPD compliance and inclusion within disability frameworks Taiwan government sought to voluntarily engage with the CRPD monitoring process. They appointed an Independent Review Committee comprising of CRPD Committee members and other indepe...

In this podcast first published in Mad in America , Dr. China Mills talks about the Global Mental Health Ministerial Summit 2018 , the development and trajectory of her relationship with the Movement for Global Mental Health and the concern she has regarding the import of foreign medical systems to the Global South to address distress as well as the framing of disabilities as a burden. Listen here as she talks about the importance of DPOs and groups like TCI Asia Pacific in looking for ways to address distress from within the existing systems rather than import foreign systems of care. China also aptly addresses how TCI Asia Pacific and the Bapu Trust practice a different kind of advocacy where the advocacy is aimed at doing something different from preconceived notions of mental health care and not resisting these notions.

Singapore ratified the CRPD in 2013. Currently, Singapore in the process of amending their Penal Code. Are the new amendments CRPD compliant? Will these amendments ensure that ALL persons with disabilities receive the rights they are entitled to? People with Psychosocial Disabilities of Singapore for the Full Realisation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PPDFRC) recently sent in a submission to the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law in response to the call for public feedback on the proposed amendments to the Penal Code. Read this critical submission on Singapore’s latest amendments to decriminalise suicide attempts but however retain it’s system of involuntary institutionalisation. For more information, please contact Emmy Charissa [ emmy.charissa@gmail.com ]

In Mad in America yesterday, TCI Asia Pacific Convenor, Bhargavi Davar talks about the history and origins of TCI Asia Pacific, the goal, understanding Inclusion in the context of the Global South and colonialism and the progress of the disability movement. Listen more here. Read the Bali Declaration .

                                                                                                                              Osaka  - 22-23 November 2017 #WhatWENeed Peer support as community development, not "mental health care" Excerpts from "TCI Asia Action in Japan" [1]  [2] One of the objectives of TCI AP's Japan exchange were: To bring a small group of peer support practitioners from TCI Asia membership, and to have focussed discussion on the importance of peer support in Asia. It was also hoped that there will be lively exchange with the Japanese government, and other key policy stakeholders, on the importanc...

Blog post contributed by  Akriti Mehta More than ten years after the publication of a series of articles published in the Lancet [1] that heralded in the age of global mental health, a report of The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development [2] was released at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit [3] in London. It seeks to reframe mental health and place global mental health within the broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals [4] suggesting future paths. It is commendable that the leaders of the Movement for Global Mental Health, many of whom have authored this report, acknowledge the importance of social determinants of mental health. The continued opposition to long-term institutionalisation is welcome. Furthermore, the focus on a life course approach is promising. Most importantly, the report stresses the need to move beyond just ‘treatment gaps’ and to recognise the importance of Sustainable Development Goals. ...

On 4 September 2018, the Peruvian Government published Legislative Decree No. 1384 that recognizes and regulates the legal capacity of persons with disabilities. The reform was adopted by the Executive following the delegation of legislative powers granted by the Congress via Law No. 30823. The legislative decree adopted, which holds the same status of a law, reforms the Civil Code, the Civil Procedural Code and the Notary Act. It recognizes the full legal capacity of all persons with disabilities, abolishes guardianship for persons with disabilities, removes restrictions on their legal capacity (e.g. to marry or to make a will), and introduces different regimes for supported decision-making. Legislative Decree No. 1384 also recognized the right to reasonable and procedural accommodation in courts and notary offices. Restrictions to legal capacity remain for persons with addictions ("the habitual drunkards" and "the drug addicts"), "bad ad...