Purpose and Aims

The purpose of WNUSP is to be a global forum and voice of users and survivors of psychiatry, to promote their rights and interests.

The aims of the organisation to assist it achieve its purpose are to:

• advocate for the advancement of human rights of users and survivors of psychiatry
• provide international representation and consultation to influence matters that affect users and survivors
• encourage the development of national user / survivor organisations in each country
• facilitate effective information exchange among user / survivor organisations around the world
• develop networking opportunities for individual users and survivors of psychiatry throughout the world
• any other activity consistent with WNUSP's purpose.

A Short History

The World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (WNUSP) began as the World Federation of Psychiatric Users (WFPU) in 1991. It changed its name to WNUSP in 1997. In the early years the organisation's activities included a newsletter, the development of a draft constitution, a draft position paper, representation of users and survivors at international conferences, the organisation of biennial meetings and the recruitment of 250 members from 16 countries. During this time WFPU had no funding apart from subscriptions to cover cost of the newsletter. The organisation lost momentum because there was a lack of effective planning and structures to ensure the work was done.

In 1999 the International Disability Foundation offered some funding and technical assistance to WNUSP in the form of a planning meeting, which was held in Santiago, Chile. Seven users from six countries attended the meeting - they included one past chairperson and four 1997-99 WNUSP panel members.

The participants at the meeting took some recommendations to revitalise WNUSP to the user / survivor meetings which were held at the World Congress for Mental Health in Santiago the following week. There were up to 30 users and survivors at these meetings from eight different countries. They approved the recommendations and also elected an interim committee which is serving until the first general assembly is held.

Current Activities

The interim committee has nine elected members. They are:

• Masaji Koganezwa (Japan)
• Helen Connor (Australia)
• Maria Mar (USA)
• Graca Fernandes - unconfirmed (Brazil)
• Mike Meyer (South Africa)
• Ismail Mokhtar Abdelghai - unconfirmed (Egypt)
• Iris Hölling (Germany),
• Karl Bach Jensen (Denmark)
• Mary O'Hagan (New Zealand)
• Janet Meagher and Sylvia Caras (co-opted)

In July 2000 WNUSP received a grant of $30,000 from the International Disability Foundation. We established our base in Odense, Denmark in the office of the national Danish user/survivor organisation - LAP. Since then Eva Hansen has worked as a part time administrative officer. During this time WNUSP has developed a constitution and drafted a three year action plan. We are currently developing a website, inviting user / survivor organisations to become members, and organising our first general assembly establishing WNUSP as a legal entity to be held in Vancouver July 20 - 21, 2001. We are also seeking ongoing funding from a variety of sources.

Former meetings amongst WNUSP-activists and other individual users and survivors have taken place in connection with the biennial congresses of The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). In the future we want WNUSP to develop independently from any other international organization, but since some WNUSP members find that it will make it easier for them to find funding for their travel we have chosen to run the initial general assembly of WNUSP in Vancouver two days earlier than the WFMH-congress will take place there.

The Next Three Years

Our action plan is contingent upon further funding. Broadly speaking we want to achieve the following by the end of 2003

1. Development of WNUSP

• Maintain and further develop the secretariat
• Establish and increase membership
• Create a database of user/survivor and other organisations
• Hold an initial general assembly and plan second general assembly
• Develop and carry out funding strategy

2. Advancement of human rights

• Prepare a position paper on user/survivor human rights
• Develop and carry out human rights seminars based on position paper
• Support national, regional and international user/survivor human rights work
• Lobby to amend the UN 'Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for People with Disabilities'
• Lobby to amend the UN 'Principles on the Protection of People with Mental Illness and the Improvement of Mental Health Care'
• Support efforts for a UN convention on the rights of people with disabilities
• Apply for consultative status with the UN

3. Facilitation of national and international user/survivor networks

• Support development of networks in countries where the user/survivor movement is weak.
• Produce a regular WNUSP newsletter
• Facilitate international user/survivor events
• Establish and maintain website and develop other publicity materials