World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry HUMAN RIGHTS SELF-DETERMINATION EQUALITY EMPOWERMENT

WNUSP… International organization of users and survivors of psychiatry Advocates for the human rights of users and survivors Speaks internationally for users and survivors Promotes the user/survivor movement in every nation Links user/survivor organizations and individuals throughout the world

Users and Survivors WNUSP is open to all users/survivors and user/survivor organizations Self-defined as a person who has experienced madness or mental health problems or who has used or survived psychiatry or the mental health system Board elected by membership on geographical basis Africa and Middle East, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe

Disability and Human Rights Work of WNUSP Panel of experts of UN Special Rapporteur on Disability International Disability Alliance UN Ad Hoc Committee on a Disability Convention

UN Disability Convention What it Means for Users and Survivors of Psychiatry

The United Nations

Convention = Treaty International Convention to Promote and Protect the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities Will be binding on governments once adopted and ratified

History of the Disability Convention 2001 UN General Assembly adopts Mexican resolution to consider proposals for a convention on the rights of people with disabilities 2002-2003 Ad Hoc Committee decides to draft convention WNUSP participates from beginning International Disability Caucus

Drafting the Convention WNUSP member of Working Group January 2004 Working Group meets to draft text 12 NGOs, 27 governments, 1 NHRI photo © Diana Signe Kline 2004

UN Working Group January 2004 photos © Diana Signe Kline 2004

What’s Happening Now 2004-2005 United Nations begins negotiating the text in the full Ad Hoc Committee

Principles Self-determination Non-discrimination Inclusion and participation The right to be different “Nothing about us without us”

User/Survivor Issues in the Convention Legal capacity, personhood and citizenship rights Forced interventions are a form of torture and ill treatment End deprivation of liberty based on disability No loopholes for discrimination Break into 4 visuals? Define legal capacity

User/Survivor Issues cont’d Meaningful alternatives for services Right to work, reasonable accommodation Right to an adequate standard of living and poverty eradication Right to vote Right to experience intimate relationships and to raise our children

Issues in Depth - Legal Capacity Everyone has legal capacity on equal basis Children have evolving legal capacity Everyone is entitled to use support in decision-making Support people must respect will of person receiving support Endeavor to determine will even through non-verbal cues when communication is difficult Builds capabilities Offers support without judgment or penalty Discussing issues in depth - these are the center of our advocacy - force, detention and deprivation of personhood are the violations that express discrimination against us violently.

Issues in Depth - Forced Interventions as Torture “Forced interventions to correct, improve or alleviate any actual or perceived impairment” Discrimination Violates our right to be different Violates self-determination Diminishes mental and physical capacities and obliterates personality Severity of harm and long-term effects Have short paper outlining legal argument that forced interventions meet definition of torture

Issues in Depth - Deprivation of Liberty Loss of physical freedom is significant harm Used as punishment and social control No separate standard based on disability Reasonable accommodation in arrest and detention for crimes

Survivor-controlled Services Users and Survivors define their own needs The Right to choose from a variety of options Survivors creating their own support structures Survivors as experts and as service providers Drug free support structures Support criticising the medial model

The Berlin Runaway House as an Example Survivors of psychiatry work in the house No psychiatric diagnosis Withdrawal from psychiatric drugs is offered Crisis and unusual behavior or perceptions as meaningful parts of life Individual and self-defined support Antipsychiatric background

Meaningful participation Users and survivors as experts User/survivor-controlled research Influence in decision making No token involvement Veto rights and payment as experts Structural changes

WNUSP/ENUSP Conference Vejle, Denmark July 2004 photo © George F. Hoogervorst 2004

For More Information www.wnusp.org www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/adhoccom.htm tminkowitz@earthlink.net Ihoelling@web.de