Mental health, human rights and standards of care (2018)

2018, viii + 44 pages
ISBN 978 92 890 5320 4
This publication is only available online.

The WHO project on adults with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities living in institutions in the WHO European Region targets a highly marginalized, vulnerable group whose quality of life, human rights and reinclusion in society are seriously compromised by outdated, often inhumane institutional practices. Its goal is to promote and facilitate deinstitutionalization.

The specific objectives of the project were to address gaps in knowledge about the number and characteristics of such long-term institutions and to identify deficiencies in current care standards through the lens of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This publication examines and rates the quality of care and protection of human rights in selected institutions in over 20 countries in the Region using the WHO QualityRights toolkit. It identifies steps to take to continue progress toward deinstitutionalization and to ensure respect for the rights of people with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities.