World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)

World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP)

Nehal Thaker , Lindsay , Kristy

Historical importance of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry and contributions it has made to the Mad Movement

Mandate, Role & Function of Organization cont.

Membership

1. An individual membership of WNUSP must be a user or survivor of psychiatry

2. An Organization membership of WNUSP must be a user/survivor of psychiatry

CRPD

 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

the United Nations says, "Deprivation of liberty based on disability is contrary to international human rights law, is intrinsically discriminatory, and is therefore unlawful.

General Assembly

A general assembly (for example) like the one in Vancouver: they talk about Mad Pride, against forced treatment such as ECT, etc.

Another example for the general Assembly in Kampala, Uganda they discussed: rights a reality, awareness (CRPD)-The convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, they advocate laws/oppose laws, respect choices/decisions, build user/survivor movement, co-operation

WNUSP is linked with the United Nations and contributes to their convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities movement. They work to be recognized by national governments and cooperate with ENUSP ( European Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry). They raise money, publish regular newsletters, and organize workshops, which all work to support and raise awareness of users/survivors of psychiatry

The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP) was originally founded as the World Federation of Psychiatric Users (WFPU) in Mexico at the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) conference in 1991, however, in 1997 the name was changed to WNUSP (World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry [WNUSP], 2012). This name change, according to Moosa Salie (2014), was made to reflect not only the users, or consumers, of the psychiatric system, but the growing number of people who had suffered through and “survived” this system despite the various traumatic experiences afflicted upon them (p. 64)

Mandate, Role & Function of the Organization

 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights @ the United Nations says, "Deprivation of liberty based on disability is contrary to international human rights law, is intrinsically discriminatory, and is therefore unlawful.

Detailed Examination of the Organizations website , resources and writing

There are several Statutes for the WNUSP below is a summary of the important statutes...

Article 2 - Purpose & Aims

 2.1 - The purpose of the organization is to be a global forum and voice of users and survivors of psychiatry, to promote our rights and interests.

 2.2 the aims are to advance human rights, develop the user survivor internationally, facilitate effective information exchange and to network.

Article 3 - Definitions

 3.1 A user or survivor of psychiatry is self-defined as a person who has experienced madness and/or mental health problems and/or has used or survived.

Article 4 - Membership Criteria and Entitlements

 4.2 One or more national user/survivor organizations from a country may become a full member through an application process seen in Article 5.

 Article 6 - General Assembly: shall consist of

delegates that are users and survivors

Article 7 - Board Structure

 7.1 The Board shall govern all the activities and consist of 8 to 12 people (7.2)

Article 8 - Board Meetings

 8.4 Observers: observes voting at board meetings. 8.5 voting may be done by roll call, show of hands, etc.

Article 9 - Officers of the Board

 9.1 Chairpersons: the organization shall have two co-chairpersons. (Key people include Jolijin Santegoeds and Salam Gomez both are Co-chair.

 9.2 There is also a treasurer.

 Article 11 - Accounts

 11.1 Funds shall only be used to further the aims of the WNUSP.

The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP) is an international organization, which supports the human rights of users and survivors of psychiatry. WNUSP serves as an international voice for those labeled as "mentally ill," and continues to create global awareness of the user/survivor movement.

In addition to advocating for the human rights of those who have had or continue to have treatment in psychology, the WNUSP provides international representation, consultation and connections for users and survivors. In addition, they work to provide opportunities for users/survivors and seek to expand or implement user/survivor awareness in every country of the world.

WNUSP Implementation Manual

Terminology/Definitions

"That disability is an evolving concept"

Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental intellectual or sensory impairments that in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

WNUSP developed a language to refer to people with psychiatric disabilities -they described ourselves as persons with "psychosocial disability" as oppose to saying "Mental impairment."

-The word psychosocial refers to the interaction between psychological and social/cultural components of our disability

Summary Position Paper for the Principles for the Protection of Persons with Mental Illness

1 The Principles support the dominance of the medical model

- WNUSP does not accept the dominance of medical explanations and treatments for 'mental illness'

2 The principles endorse involuntary detention and treatment

- WNUSP is against all form of involuntary treatment.

5 Principles were develop with little input from users/survivors.

Contents

Human Rights

Why has the WNUSP been developed?

-Because of political, civil, legal, economic, social and cultural rights issues.

-Because various abuses have been and continue to be inflicted upon users/survivors

-Housing discrimination, employment, education

-Homelessness, unemployment among users/survivors

Core values of the WNUSP

-Values are based upon those of the users/survivors movement

-Being able to take control of your our own life.

WNUSP Statement of Principles

 WNUSP has several goals and values and establishes many similar principles that are based on every user/survivor being treated, as they want to be treated. Some other principles include fairness in all aspects of life… equality, respect, dignity etc, especially when being hospitalized, arrested, etc.

The WNUSP holds great importance in the Mad Movement as it has created a voice for mad folk not only at a national level, but globally, which is a massive feat and has had an enormous impact on the movement. In the last few decades, the Mad Movement has developed significantly, starting initially with very few and distributed self-help groups and expanding to an international network across six continents, whose contributions include providing housing and employment, education, promoting research, and establishing advocacy programs for consumer/survivors, of which the WNUSP has helped support (WNUSP, Human Rights Position Paper, n.d.a). The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry have given, and continue to give, an international voice to the movement with members in over 50 countries across all regions of the globe (International Disability Alliance [IDA], Our Members, 2011). The WNUSP has also brought the rights of consumer/survivors to the forefront in discourses with the United Nations, which is a major stepping-stone in the direction of implementing the necessary changes needed to provide equal rights for mad folk. The demands of the WNUSP are

1. Mandate, Role & Function of the organization

2. Detailed examination of organizations website, resources &writing

3. Interview with a member of the organization

4. Historical importance of the organization in MAD movement

5. Contributions made to MAD movement

6. Future of the Organization

International Advocacy

1 Around the world individuals with disabilities that are younger of age experience double discrimination and should be treated with the same respect as those older/elderly individuals that have age related disabilities (that are of old age)

2 In Croatia for example (on an international perspective) poor conditions in institution are often couple with severe forms of restraint and seclusion. Children and adults with disabilities may be tied to their beds for prolonged periods of time, chained/handcuffed, overmedicated as a form of chemical restraint which can lead to life-threatening deformities and even organ failure."

3 Absolute ban for all states to impose on all forced and non-consensual medical treatment against persons with disabilities including non-consensual administration of psychosurgery, ECT, the use of restraint, solitary confinement, ECT.

4 There are special Rapporteurs on Torture (paragraph 19)

5 Article 82 1) persons who are found to be insane shall not be detained in prisons.

Newsletters

Their newsletters include topics on:

1) The United Nations human rights treaty called the, Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities or CRPD for short. With respect to the impact of the Convention on the lives of persons with psychosocial disabilities.

2) The features of an overview of the Convention as it relates to users and survivors of psychiatry.

3) The Pan African Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (PANUSP)

4) The UN Torture Rapporteur: (Forced Treatment Against Disability Convention May be Torture)

WNUSP, together with other members of the International Disability Alliance, has developed position papers and WNUSP has contributed significantly to the development of international law on torture and persons with disabilities, providing expertise to OHCHR (office of the high commissioner for human rights), the Special Rapporteur on Torture, and the Subcommittee for Prevention of Torture.

The current issue discusses the implications of the CRPD-The convention on the rights of persons with disabilities on forced treatment.

Future Of the Organization

Since the focuses of this organization is to provide a voice for the survivors of psychiatry that is intended to reach globally, there are many different aims and achievements that WNUSP hopes to achieve in the future of the organization. In the future the WNUSP states they want to encourage the development of national user/survivor organizations in each country. Extending the knowledge that they have as an organization and creating more awareness on a more global level. They also state that they want to aim to develop networking opportunities for individual user/survivor organizations globally as well as facilitate effective information exchange among user/survivor ‘s around the world. In summary this is an organization that is about raising the awareness and information about the mad and the survivors of the mad and making sure people around the world grasp it, not just the people studying the information. It seems that their main goal is to achieve global awareness and success using the tools they have as an organization and expanding them out to the world in hopes that the survivors voices will be heard by more than just “a few people”.