NEWS RELEASE

The Working Group -- a consortium of human rights groups who together with representatives of various state delegations – has just finished writing a draft text in preparation for a major United Nations treaty on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  At the Working Group meetings, issues pertaining to psychiatric/psycho-social disability are being represented by Tina Minkowitz of the World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry.  Celia Brown, Kate Millett, Myra Kovary, and Eric Riss represented Support Coalition International as observers. 

There is cause for celebration.  This is an historic moment in the continuing struggle to end forced treatment.  The draft text includes an article condemning discrimination entitled Liberty and Security of the Person stating that, ”States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not deprived of their liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily, and that deprivation of liberty shall be in conformity with the law, and no case shall be based on disability.”  Another article entitled Freedom from Torture or Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment states that, “In particular, States Parties shall prohibit, and protect persons with disabilities from, medical or scientific experimentation without the free and informed consent of the person concerned, and shall protect persons with disabilities from forced interventions or forced institutionalisation aimed at correcting, improving, or alleviating any actual or perceived impairment.”

Tina Minkowitz effectively argued throughout the two weeks of meetings for keeping any reference to the legal use of force out of the text of the Convention, but the Working Group’s draft does contain a footnote that was added because some state representatives “considered that forced medical intervention and forced institutionalization should be permitted in accordance with appropriate legal procedures and safeguards.”  Tina’s courage at such moments of opposition was impressive.  Though there were many who supported her quietly, hers was a lone voice -- but one that prevailed, at least in the main body of the draft text.  And that is as far as we got.  Let’s see how far we can carry this excellent beginning forward at the United Nations when the Ad Hoc Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities meets again in NY in May 2004.

Submitted by Kate Millett and Myra Kovary

New York, NY

January 16, 2004

The website for more information about the UN Convention is:

http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/ahcwg.htm

The website for Support Coalition International is:

http://www.mindfreedom.org

The website for World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry is:

http://www.wnusp.org