STATEMENT
BY MYRNA LACHENAL-MERRITT
REPRESENTATIVE
TO THE U.N. FOR THE
WORLD
FEDERATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH
AT
THE 59 th SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, GENEVA
27
MARCH 2003
AGENDA
ITEM 10: ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS
Madame
Chairperson:
Thank
you, Madame Chairperson, for giving me the floor.
The
WFMH, representing over 100 local and regional mental health associations
spanning all five continents, is very appreciative of the report on �the right
of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical
and mental health� submitted to the Commission by the Special Rapporteur,
Mr. Paul Hunt, in accordance with Commission Resolution 2002/31.
Indeed,
since the proclamation of the �Principles for the Protection of Persons with
Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care� adopted by the UN
General Assembly in 1991, it is the first time that the Commission on Human
Rights has addressed directly and specifically the issues
of human rights of persons with mental problems (para. E of Mr.Hunt�s report).
For
more than 50 years the WFMH, in pursuit of its objectives of advocacy for
mental health, including promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation,
has cooperated closely with the Mental Health Department of WHO. � WHO initiatives
for the 2001 World Health Day, under the title �Close the Gap, Dare to Care,�
the 2001 World Health Report on Mental Health, �Mental Health � New Hope,
New Understanding,� and finally the �Mental Health Global Action Programme�
constitute landmarks in a common fight for improvement of mental health care
and elimination of stigma and discrimination still prevalent and too often
associated with mental and behavioral disorders, suffered by hundreds of millions
of people around the globe.
WFMH
celebrated the 10 th anniversary of its own WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY global
mental health education campaign on 10 October 2002 with the launching of
a campaign on The Effects of Trauma and Violence on Children and Adolescents
. � World Mental Health Day is now commemorated in over 100 countries
around the world through public awareness and education activities, proclamations
signed by heads of national and provincial governments, public rallies and
advocacy initiatives. � These measures help to promote positive mental and
emotional health and serve to reduce the stigma and discrimination that is
still too often associated with mental and emotional disorders. � This year�s
campaign addressed the effects that violence and trauma � including war, terrorism,
famine, poverty and displacement � have on the emotional health of children
and adolescents throughout the world. � It also promotes advocacy for the
ratification and implementation of the UN�s Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict.
Finally,
WFMH was a leader in advocating for the establishment of a Non-Governmental
Committee on Mental Health at the United Nations in New York. � It is working
through that committee to support the inclusion of issues relating to the
human rights of persons with mental and emotional disabilities in the proposed
Convention on the Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities that is now under
consideration. � WFMH strongly urges that such a Convention be adopted and
that the rights of persons with mental and emotional disabilities be included
in its agenda.
The
World Federation for Mental Health commends the Commission on Human Rights
for its continued advocacy to protect and preserve the human rights of all
citizens throughout the world.
World
Federation for Mental Health
P.O.
Box 16810
Alexandria,
Virginia 22302-0810
USA
1
703 797 1956
www.wfmh.org