All over the world, people with mental health issues experience a wide range of human rights violations - including lack of access to basic mental health care and treatment, and the complete absence of community based mental health care, resulting in institutional care - which, in many countries, is associated with degrading treatment and sub-standard living conditions.

 

In Australia, while a lot of progress has been made over recent years, human rights infringements still occur. This includes involuntary treatment and restrictive practices such as seclusion and restraint, but also issues such as exclusion from the community and discrimination borne from stigma - which can affect a person’s education, capacity for employment, opportunity to develop meaningful intimate relationships and friendships, as well as access to safe affordable housing, and a diminished opportunity to make a meaningful social contribution.

​

We invite speakers to consider and discuss the ways mental health nurses work to improve outcomes for and with people experiencing mental health issues, with a focus on improving, maintaining and preserving their human rights.

 

The theme ‘Mental Health is a Human Right’ will be supported by a number of streams, each with a strong focus on evidence-based examples of best practice.