#WhatWENeed in Myanmar
Full CRPD Compliance on the inclusion of
persons with psychosocial disabilities
Myanmar obtained
Independence from Britain in 1948. Even though a former British colony, Myanmar
haschosen not to be a part of the Commonwealth nations. There are strong feelings about having been
colonized, that foreign rule has isolated the country for 50 years from
international contact and growth, and left it desolate of self determination
and resources. Myanmar, geographically, is divided by its 3
rivers. Administratively, like other Commonwealth nations, it has retained its
administrative structure on central and federal basis. Years of the peace
struggles, the 'divide and rule' policies of the British, and complex political
alliances before and after the War towards independence, has impacted the
nation; and its continuing internal strife, especially impacting ethnic
peoples. The
United Nations (UN) describes the situation in Myanmar as ‘a complex
combination of vulnerability to natural disasters, food and nutrition
insecurity, armed conflict, inter-communal tensions, statelessness,
displacement, trafficking and migration’. This is yet another country of the
erstwhile British colonies, that faces serious post colonial aftermath.
#What Myanmar
Needs:
1. Our full
and effective inclusion in national laws and policies
Disability legislation
for people in need is still an ongoing process of advocacy, rights and provisions.
Implementation of signed and ratified (UNCRPD)
is still a challenge. No policy or legislation exists, that is in
compliance with UNCRPD. Mental health
is not fully integrated into Development services, or disability inclusion.
2. Our right
to live independently and be included in communities.
Myanmar, as
expected from an erstwhile British colony, has the Lunacy Act of 1912. As
expected, also, it has 2 old mental asylums warehousing people by the hundreds,
in the traditional colonial way. Especially, more than 300 people with
Psychosocial disabilities in the
mental hospital in
Yangon are institutionalized life-long. Due to historical, legal, social and other
barriers, they don't get the right support
through de-institutionalization, psychosocial services and processes adapted to life in
communities. Recent events of human rights violations in
Myanmar has been seen by globalizing mental health as an
"opportunity" for expansion [1] of
mental health services, especially, psychiatric and psychotherapeutic services.
3. Full CRPD
Compliance in policy and legislation
Current legal
frameworks for persons with psychosocial disabilities is not in compliance with
CRPD. It focuses on involuntary institutionalization and the medical model.
The Lunacy Act
is a colonial legislation, with provisions of deprivation of liberty of someone
who is a 'lunatic' or an 'idiot'. There is a view that this law must be made
more contemporary.[2]
In other British postcolonial societies, this has meant changing the legal
concepts, but not the penal framework.
Guardianship
Guardianship law
exists under the Lunacy legislation. Currently, according to the Lunacy act
(1912) , the mental hospital (psychiatric Board) has
the guardianship to
keep more than 300 person with psychosocial disability
as being institutionalized life-long. Currently, old existing laws and policies, as found in all erstwhile British
colonies, discriminate the persons with psycho-social disabilities on grounds of legal incapacity and
put them under guardianship.
4. Community support systems
There is no
provision for living independently or for community living: Families continue
to take care of their loved ones in need. The communities also engage in socialisation
especially through traditional practices. Gaps include,
(1 ) lack of accessible community based mental
health support systems especially
in remote, poor areas (2) lack of the right support systems in terms of psychosocial recovery and
rehabilitation, which is favoured by traditional society like Myanmar
(3) lack of trainings and skilled resources in psychosocial services (4) lack
of law and policy which safeguards the person centered approach, and
finally (5) rights and provisions in compliance with legislation on
CRPD.
5. Public
financing for Inclusion:
The
state doesn't allocate separate
budget for persons with
psychosocial disabilities
although it provides the (health)
budget for the 2 mental
hospitals. Some programs are
being operated on some extent of
psychosocial part. But persons of high support need with
psychosocial disabilities are still outcast. The state does not allocate budget
for independent living and inclusion. There is a lack of awareness and gaps in
the implementation of psychosocial recovery and inclusion within the current
system.
6. To foster community empowerment for care sharing
The huge gap in
psychosocial services and the structure to support
the needy population is necessary
to build up the community. Civil society groups are working
and advocating for reform. There needs to be
more awareness about recovery and inclusion cross sectorally. We need
more allies and persons for advocacy. CRPD must guide law, policy, trainings,
especially knowledge resources and implementation manuals.
(1)
mental health awareness and the importance of psychosocial wellbeing.
(2) Community
based, trauma informed, psychotherapeutic care
system across the country
(3) Legal
and policy safeguards for the rights of person with psychosocial
disabilities
(4) Disability
inclusive community and social inclusion
(5) Integrated
multi-sectoral approach in Psychosocial
support.
7. To
continue traditional healing practices that are CRPD compliant and serving
communities:
Myanmar is
one of South East Asian countries, has traditional
ways of healing.
The first is going to
astrologers, taking their advice
and doing some
treatments to feel safe and combat
the impending misfortunes. The
second is Buddhist
traditional meditations,
which is provided
by the monasteries.
The sense of "collectiveness"
at the meditation
center is helpful practice for
people to engage in their
cultural practices of healing and finding peace. Being in the traditional space, is also an
inspiration for the group to feel together. Being
isolated from modernization
is related with the
still strong traditions of doing religious ritual practices,
and a regularity of visits at the religious sites, pagoda, church, mosque. It
is considered a good deed to adopt such practices. The ethical setting of
different religions help people to
bring spiritual confidence and
esteem . There are
specific rituals of Burmese
and Ethnic people
across the country, related with cultural and
belief systems (eg. Belief
in full moon ,water festival, faith
in the supernatural ) play in healing path too. There are
some games , dances of the Burmese and
Ethnics, and also folk dance and music
are associated with individual
autonomy, pursuit of happiness of
individual and feelings of collectiveness.
(Prepared for TCI Asia
Pacific, Bali Plenary August 2018)
Myanmar Christian Blind Federation We are working for sustainable psychosocial
support, care, networking for persons
with psychosocial disabilities; Community based mental health and holistic
care; Advocacy for progressive mental health care in community; Advocacy for
implementation of UNCRPD elements in mental health care; policy development;
de-institutionalization; and, Decentralization. Our advocacy is for independent living and
inclusion in communities, for persons with psychosocial disabilities.
[1] A. J. Nguyen, C. Lee, M. Schojan, and P. Bolton (2018). "Mental health interventions
in Myanmar: a review of the academic and gray literature". Global mental
health, 5e-8, February 19. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2017.30 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5827419/
[2] https://www.mmtimes.com/news/government-urged-draft-mental-health-care-policy.html
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