Global Issues

International activist concerns on human rights and alternatives in the mental health system.

Globalization of psychiatry by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-01-01 14:55

Concern about expansion of the mental health industry to poor & developing countries.

Report documents human rights violations in Turkey psychiatric facilities. by David W. Oaks — last modified 2006-11-25 10:38

Mental Disability Rights International (MDRI) released a 2005 report about human rights abuses in Turkey, including electroshock of children. MDRI is a sponsor group of MindFreedom International.

World Health Organization (WHO) Exposes a Global Emergency of Human Rights Violations in the Mental Health System. by David W. Oaks — last modified 2006-11-25 10:38

The World Health Organization announced they are dedicating International Human Rights Day, 10 December 2005 to all people diagnosed with mental disorders "and the all-too-prevalent violations of their basic human rights."

A MindFreedom Delegation in the United Nations for Meetings on Disability and Human Rights. by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-06-11 09:09

This essay celebrates the MindFreedom delegation once again entering the United Nations, in this case on Martin Luther King, Jr. day, 16 January 2006.

Report by John McCarthy -- MindFreedom delegate in the United Nations by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-02-10 00:06

John McCarthy flew in from Cork, Ireland to help represent MindFreedom in 2006 meetings in the United Nations to create a successful "Convention" or treaty about disability and human rights. Here's John's first hand report about the experience.

wpa-dresden by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-05-21 12:14

A number of psychiatric survivor and mental health consumer organizations have united to speak out directly inside a special conference by the World Psychiatric Association on the topic of ending coercion and force in the mental health system.

IAACM by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-06-26 17:00

Watch for upcoming news about the launch of the International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment, with support from Mad Pride 2007 and MindFreedom International.

Russian psychiatry by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-08-03 09:06

Mental health system human rights abuse in Russia is gaining international attention.

torture by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-08-19 16:57

This material is on the controversial intersection between torture and the mental health system, such as the presence of mental health professionals during extreme interrogation of prisoners.

Belgium Psychiatric Survivor Group Celebrates 10th Anniversary by David W. Oaks — last modified 2008-01-07 13:03

The following news announcement was forwarded by European Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP) about one of their member groups in Belgium, UilenSpiegel, which is celebrating their 10th anniversary. UilenSpiegel is also planning a Mad Pride celebration. Dan Taylor, secretary from MindFreedom Ghana in Accra, Ghana, Africa, intends to attend.

United Nations and Disability Rights by David W. Oaks — last modified 2007-12-09 20:40

MindFreedom's team in the United Nations worked hard for years with activists from all over the world to create a treaty on disability and human rights.

World Health Organization Study Comparing Mental Health Recovery in Developed & Developing Nations by David W. Oaks — last modified 2008-02-08 21:48

The World Health Organization (WHO) sponsored major studies comparing how people recover in poor and more developed nations. The people in the poorer developing nations, on average, recovered at a far higher rate. Here is information about those studies. MindFreedom asked Professor Norman Sartorius to briefly summarize these studies, which he was directly involved in leading. The views expressed are those of Dr. Sartorius.

Norman Sartorius by David W. Oaks — last modified 2008-02-08 21:49

Norman Sartorius, MD, past Director of the Division of Mental Health of World Health Organization, retired in 1993. Dr. Sartorius helped conduct studies comparing mental health recovery rates in poor and more developed nations.

Healing Angola's Mind: The Medical Rehabilitation of Those Affected by Civil War by Jeremy Bensman — last modified 2008-04-29 10:01

A paper by Samantha Figueroa, available here as an MS Word document, on transitional justice and pychosocial rehabilitation in the aftermath of the civil war in Angola, Africa.