The importance of mental health as an essential element of human dignity and social justice is increasingly acknowledged worldwide. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This vision strongly resonates with Sustainable Development Goal 3, which calls for ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all. Together, they highlight a critical truth: safeguarding mental health is not optional it is a universal human right.
Recognizing mental health as a human right transforms the way we understand well-being. It acknowledges that an individual’s dignity, autonomy, and freedom depend on their emotional and psychological stability. When mental health is compromised, one’s ability to function, interact, form relationships, make decisions, and protect their own rights becomes significantly limited. By viewing mental health as a human right, we affirm that every individual deserves support just as they deserve food, shelter, clothing, and safety without losing dignity or facing judgment and social isolation.
Protecting mental health, therefore, goes far beyond providing therapy. It requires creating environments where people are free from emotional harm, humiliation, discrimination, and fear. This understanding leads to the need for a rights-based approach to mental well-being.
Human Rights Violations in Mental Health
People experiencing mental health conditions often face significant human rights violations. These may include limited or unaffordable access to quality care, neglect, or even physical mistreatment in certain settings all reflecting severe breaches of dignity and rights. Discrimination further leads to exclusion from education, employment, relationships, and participation in community life, forcing individuals into isolation and fear.
Stigma, for instances, creates shame and silence, preventing individuals from seeking help. Lack of awareness fuels misconceptions, negative attitudes, and the belief that mental health conditions reflect weakness rather than legitimate health concerns deserving of care and respect. Together, these factors lead to situations where people are denied their fundamental human rights, impacting their autonomy, dignity, and overall quality of life.
Adopting Right Based Approach
A rights-based mental health approach focuses on creating safe, supportive, and respectful environments where individuals feel valued and empowered. It prioritizes healing over silence and compassion over judgment.
This approach includes:
- Emotional safety: Ensuring individuals can express their emotions without fear of blame, ridicule, or judgment.
- Respect and compassion: Treating every person with dignity, acknowledging their experiences, and validating their feelings.
- Non-discriminatory support: Guaranteeing that access to emotional and mental health care is not restricted by gender, economic background, caste, or social identity.
- Community understanding: Encouraging families, schools, workplaces, and social groups to foster cultures where seeking help is normalized rather than stigmatized.
- Empowerment: Supporting individuals to understand their emotions, recognize their value, and advocate for their own well-being.
In India where 14% of the population suffers from mental health issues. It is crucial that the family, community and the society at large respects their rights.