World Mental Health Day: We need a Human Rights-based Approach to Mental Health

Date: 10-10-2022

Emily Wolfe 

Europe and Human Rights Researcher,

Global Human Rights Defence

On March 22nd 2016, 17-year-old Shanti De Corte was making her way through the departures area of the Zaventem airport in Belgium, when an ISIS bomb went off – killing 32 people and injuring over 300. While De Corte escaped the bomb without physical injury, the trauma and mental health repercussions of witnessing the blast left her psychologically crippled ever since – suffering from PTSD, frequent panic attacks and severe bouts of depression. 

De Corte sought medical treatment at a psychological clinic in her home town of Antwerp; however, after over six years of suffering, and multiple suicide attempts, De Corte chose to be euthanised, marking her as the 33rd victim of the 2016 terror attack. 

Belgium is home to the world’s most liberal law on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Under this law, individuals can qualify for euthanasia only if they have an uncurable illness, or experience “mental suffering that cannot be alleviated, resulting from a serious and incurable disorder caused by illness or accident;” (Belgium (Euthanasia), 2003). Gilles Genicot, lawyer and co-Chairman of the Euthanasia Control and Evaluation Commission in Belgium, believes that this law humanizes the death of its patients, and respects their individual autonomy. Genicot believes the system works well, and that Belgium’s law gives doctors a “practical and humane way to help suffering patients die peacefully” (‘The Right to Die in Belgium: Inside Its Euthanasia Laws’, 2015), citing their right to die, as a human right. 

While it was over 70 years ago, that the Universal Declaration of Human rights declared the “right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being” (UN General Assembly, 1948), mental health struggles continue to be a source stigma and discrimination globally. With the UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Health, Mr. Dainius Pūras highlighting that “nowhere in the world does mental health enjoy parity with physical health in terms of budgeting, or medical education and practice.” (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2018) . 

As the globe acknowledges World Mental Health Day on October 10th, it is critical to also understand the relationship between mental health and human rights, recognizing that everyone has the right to equal opportunity to enjoy mental health and to exercise their human rights. Millions of people around the world are experiencing the devastating impacts of war, terror, and trauma on their mental health, but few receive the support they need, as stated by Shantha Rau Barriga “The war in Ukraine is the latest reminder that governments and humanitarian agencies need to recognize mental health as a priority and expand psychosocial support services to all those affected by conflict” (Human Rights Watch, 2022). 

Recognizing the right to mental health as a human right, as well as developing community-based and rights first approaches to treating mental health and trauma, will help prevent future victims of being in the same position as Shanti De Corte and her long fight for her mental well-being. 

Sources and further reading:

European Journal of Health Law, 2003. Belgium (Euthanasia). 10(3), pp.329-335.

The right to die in Belgium: Inside its euthanasia laws. (2015, January 15). PBS NewsHour. Retrieved 10 October 2022, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/right-die-belgium-inside-worlds-liberal-euthanasia-laws

UN General Assembly. (1948). Universal declaration of human rights (217 [III] A). Paris.

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018, May 24) Mental health is a human right. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/stories/2018/05/mental-health-human-right. 

Human Rights Watch (2022, October 10). World Mental Health Day: Support Conflict Survivors. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/10/world-mental-health-day-support-conflict-survivors