Webinar Series 1: Building more inclusive, human-rights informed frameworks into mental health advocacy

There is a long and well documented history of human-rights abuses, systemic prejudices and barriers faced by people with lived experience of mental health conditions in almost all parts of the world. The neglect and abuse can occur at all levels from immediate home and family life to structural discrimination in legal and health systems. Key Developments such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and WHO’s QualityRights initiative have played an essential role in beginning to address this inequity. However it is essential to recognize, highlight and learn from the work of national advocacy initiatives and programmes working locally to challenge systemic barriers and empowering local champions to lead advocacy efforts within their own settings.

Supported by the Speak your Mind Campaign and United for Global Mental Health, and hosted by the Mental Health Innovation Network, this webinar builds on those already organised for the Blue Print Group and is open to all. This webinar is the first of two focused on human rights and will focus on the introduction of Human Rights frameworks within the umbrella of mental health advocacy and programming. A group of experts leading on human rights approaches and frameworks for mental health from around the world will be sharing the successes, challenges and lessons they have learned through their work, followed by a moderated Q&A and discussion.

Speakers:

Kriti Sharma - Senior Disability Rights Researcher, Human Rights Watch
Michael Njenga – Human Rights Advocate and Director of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry in Kenya
Faraaz Mahomed – Equality Researcher and Program Officer at Open Society Foundations