South African members of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP), in collaboration with MindFreedom South Africa, have announced the release of the Cape Town Declaration. The declaration is expected to be formalized (and assented to) during Mad October -- a Mad Pride Event -- by local affiliates of international organizations working for psychiatric rights.

Cape Town Declaration to be approved

Date Published: 2007-07-14 00:00

Author: Moosa Sallie, David Robert Lewis

Source: MindFreedom South Africa

MFI PRESS RELEASE _{(FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 14-07-2007)}

PSYCHRIGHTS activists and “alternative mental health” treatment advocates have released a statement to coincide with the 17th International Congress of Analytical Psychology, being held at the International Convention Centre (CTICC), 12 –17 August 2007, Cape Town South Africa, as well as the forthcoming 10th International Conference on Philosophy, Psychiatry and Psychology to be held at Sun City, South Africa 26 – 30 August 2007.

The Cape Town Declaration (see below) is a groundbreaking statement made by South African members of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP) in conjunction with MindFreedom (South Africa). It is also endorsed by the Secretariat of the African Decade of People with Disabilities.

MindFreedom is an international movement working towards a non-violent revolution of mental health, human rights and choice; it has branches in Ghana, Ireland, Canada and the USA. WNUSP is an international organization which recently received United Nations consultative status and participated in the drafting of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities

The declaration will be formalized and assented to by local affiliates of international organizations working in the field of psychrights in an activity to be associated with Mad October -- a Mad Pride Event -- at a date and venue to be announced (in all likelihood members of these organizations will converge on Robben Island, where a symbolic reclamation of South Africa’s social justice history of cognitive rights & psychrights will occur).

Like-minded individuals and organizations are hereby invited to join with us in our struggle for social justice and the extension of psychrights and cognitive freedom to all South Africans, and to add their names to our statement.

MindFreedom; http://mindfreedom.org
            WNUSP:  http://wnusp.net
     Mad Pride:  http://www.ctono.freeserve.co.uk/
Secretariat of the African Decade of People with Disabilities: http://www.africandecade.org/


The Cape Town Declaration

We, the undersigned,

Noting the ongoing global emergency in mental health, do hereby affirm the June 2007 Declaration of Dresden*, by standing united in calling for an end to all forced and coerced psychiatric procedures and for the development of alternatives to psychiatry and;

Recognising the Republic of South Africa’s contribution to mental health particularly its Bill of Rights article 12, which grants all its citizens, the right to security in and control of the body, as well as bodily and psychological integrity, and;

Cognisant of the innate fallibility of the human mind and the falsifiability of science including, theories, ideas and medical practices, and reaffirming our commitment to the United Nation’s (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Disabled;

Do hereby affirm our common humanity and heritage in Africa, to be recognized as persons endowed with consciousness and in possession of body, mind and spirit.

Call upon South Africa and member states of the UN to ratify the UN Convention, and for self-ownership and the right to refuse treatment to be recognized and affirmed by national and provincial legislation.
Renew our fight today, against discrimination, injustice and for human rights in order to empower and improve the quality of life for those considered different or maladjusted, and others marginalized and disadvantaged by society, including those labeled with psychiatric disorders.

Commit ourselves to the values of acceptance, self-determination, non-violence, respect of individuality and belief in the intrinsic worth and dignity of every human being.

Demand, before the eyes of the community, and for all the peoples of the world, as well as ourselves; social justice, equal rights and a free and therapeutic environment, safe from torture, detention and coercive psychiatric intervention of all kinds.
We therefore join hands with our fellow activists and comrades in the broader movement for social justice, in order to embrace forgiveness and healing and to say, never again will one race dominate another, nor will our mentality or beliefs be used to oppress fellow human beings – only truth and justice can set us free.

SIGNED ON THIS DATE        ROBBEN ISLAND, CAPE TOWN, REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA


*Dresden Declaration

We stand united in calling for an end to all forced and coerced psychiatric procedures and for the development of alternatives to psychiatry.

We especially point to the recent adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the “Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” which was drafted with the participation of human rights activists who had personally experienced the mental health system. We believe that the people of the world and their elected representatives should ratify this Convention without reservations, affirming that all people ought to be treated equally and that no one should be denied liberty based on a label of disability, disease or disorder.

We all have a right to refuse psychiatric procedures, since this Convention recognizes the right to free and informed consent with no discrimination based on disability. Even more important, the Convention guarantees to people with disabilities the right to make our own decisions (legal capacity) on an equal basis with others, and requires governments to provide access to non-coercive support in decision-making, for those who need such support.

We note that the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated its opposition to all involuntary electroshock, which is also known as electro-convulsive therapy (ECT). Involuntary electroshock is increasing internationally, including in poor and developing countries where it is most likely to be used without anaesthesia. In particular, we call for the abolition of involuntary ECT in every country.

WHO and the European Commission have also stated the need for the development of new non-stigmatising and self-help approaches for people in emotional distress. Organizations of people who have experienced psychiatric treatment have taken the lead in developing self-help programs that are based on equality and choice, rather than on coercion, and have been successful in helping people lead integrated lives in the community.

We know that healing can only occur when people are respected as humans with free will and when there are ¨alternatives beyond psychiatry which are based on ethical approaches, which see the whole person, and which support recovery, while force makes recovery impossible.

We note that in many countries of the world, there is an increasing use of forced psychiatric procedures, including court ordered treatment which requires that people living in their own homes take psychiatric drugs against their will or lose their freedom. This practice is a violation of our human rights as set forth in the UN Convention.

We invite all supporters of human rights to join and support us in demanding a world free of forced and coerced psychiatric procedures, and we call for adequate funding and support for voluntary self-help services and for alternatives to psychiatry which respect our humanity and dignity.

On behalf of: European Network of (ex-) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP); Zabel-Kr¸ger-Damm 183, 13469 Berlin, Germany, www.enusp.org
World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP), Klingenberg 15, 2.th; 5000 Odense C, Denmark, www.wnusp.net

MindFreedom International (MFI), 454 Willamette, Suite 216 – POB 11284; Eugene, OR 97440-3484, USA, www.mindfreedom.org

Bundesverband Psychiatrie-Erfahrener (BPE), Wittener Str. 87; 44789; Bochum, Germany, www.bpe-online.de

Press Release Submitted by

1) Moosa Salie
105 Coronation Road,
Maitland, Cape Town
South Africa
http://moosa-salie.oism.info
Tel. 27 +21 511-5776
Cell: 27 +82 486-5953
 
2) David Robert Lewis
PO Box 4398
Cape Town
8000
Mobile: 27 +82 425-1454